


Just You, Just Me

by LeafyDream



Category: RWBY
Genre: 1920s, Alternate Universe - 1920s, Drama, Drama & Romance, F/F, F/M, Flappers, Forbidden Love, Freedom, Inspired by Music, Interracial Relationship, Jazz Age, Music, Musicals, Romance, Secret Identity, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-05
Updated: 2017-01-26
Packaged: 2018-08-19 17:42:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 36,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8219564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeafyDream/pseuds/LeafyDream
Summary: Weiss has fallen in love with the world her father hates. She has made friends with Flappers, rebels, and losers. She might have even fallen in love. But can she keep a foot in both worlds forever? Her new friends damn her father, and her father damns her hidden life. When both worlds see her for who she truly is, will either want her? *A 1920s love story.





	1. They Say It's Wonderful

**They Say It's Wonderful**

There comes a time in everyone's life, be they man or woman, sinner or saint, when they ask a simple question. The question is rarely directed at anyone specific, but we've all asked this question, and if you haven't, then you will one day. It is as natural and inevitable as your next breath or the breeze of the wind.

_Is this it? Is this my life?_

It was the question Weiss Schnee, 'princess' of the Schnee Steel Industry, found herself asking one cold, winter's night. The dark sky above was contrasted by the white blanket of snow that had fallen upon the quiet mansion. The workers and servants outside worked to clear it as distant lights grew ever closer. Her father's, Whittaker Schnee, associates were on their way, no doubt wishing to speak about some sort of business venture or political strife that was taking the city.

While her father's company had no official political power over the city of Vale, everyone who was anyone knew that the city's blood was pumped by the factories that laid in her heart. Without the churning and pumping of the factories and products made by the Schnee Steel Industry the city would be doomed to a slow death. So the Schnee Family indeed had power, or it was more accurate to say, her father had power over the city.

Weiss glanced at her textbooks. Each book was handpicked and chosen by her father in an attempt to instill the morals he had grown up with. Even the history books she studied seemed to leave recent history a mystery. They were a part of the gilded cage her father kept her in, a prison of golden walls and luxury, but a prison nonetheless. Freedom was one of the few luxuries her wealth could never attain for her...

The lights of the approaching breezer entered the grounds of the mansion and came to a stop, revealing the mint-green frame of the convertible. It parked itself in a clearing the servants made and it opened from within to reveal a rotund fellow. He stepped out of the driver seat with a uniform so scarlet that he became an almost radiant speck in the yard of snow outside. He fixed his mustache for a moment, before stepping to the backseat and opening it.

From within the breezer's confines came a gorgeous woman, with radiant blonde hair tied in a bun. She fixed her glasses for a moment, hugging a briefcase to her white blouse. Her top almost melted into the fallen snow around her, but her long, black skirt stretched down her legs, just passed her knees, kept her easy to spot. The rotund man reached into the car and handed the blonde woman a furcoat, which she took with a slight nod of appreciation. She didn't wear it, nor did she even shiver.

Finally, a third figure stepped out from the other side of the car. At first, all she saw was the dark shaft of a cane, topped with a silver handle. A man stepped out of the car, rising up with the help of his cane. This was a figure Weiss knew, even if it was indirectly. The man's hair was uniquely silver, while a dark, emerald scarf wrapped itself around his neck. The rest of his garb was as black as the night sky, yet it seemed to shine with an aura of poise and wisdom. The man fixed his small glasses, pushing them back onto his face as he scoped out her home.

Ozpin. One of the richest, most brilliant men in all the United States, and one of the few people her father showed respect to. A genius, writer, and a known explorer. He had traveled all over the world, from the distant land of the Orient, to her home city of Atlas across the country. He only stopped when he took up a job as a headmaster at one of the local university. The man had published several books about his travels, and had made many friends across the world, but it was Vale he called home...

A home he took pride in, or sought to take pride in, perhaps. Ozpin was running for mayor of the city and her father was vocal about his support to silver-haired professor. Ozpin walked towards the mansion, both flanks followed by the man and woman. The rotund fellow was one of his servants, a mere driver, but judging by the way the blonde woman handed Ozpin her briefcase, she was probably his secretary or assistant.

The three marched towards her home, as Weiss glanced one last time at her studies. She could either sit here and learn about long dead soldiers and politicians, or she could go downstairs and meet one of the smartest men in America. She did not need to think long about the choice.

The princess raced out of her study room to the carpeted, scarlet staircase. Her moonlight toned fingers pressed against her skirt, before she took a deep breath. She plastered a smile on her face before elegantly stepping down the steps. She could see the front door, and two figures in front of it, as she sauntered down the staircase. Her older sister, Winter Ironwood-Schnee stood with a militant poise, and one of her family's servants, Velvet Scarlatina

"Weiss? What are you doing here?"inquired Winter. Her tone was controlled, but her voice held an edge of frustration to it that Weiss caught.

"I saw Professor Ozpin's car drive up. What are you doing here? I would think you would be with your new husband..."

"James understands that I have other responsibilities than being his wife. Father has requested my presence here. Now I ask again, why are you here?" she repeated, her voice carrying a sharper note to it than before.

"I simply wanted to be there while father and the Professor spoke. I thought it would be an excellent chance to learn about a more modern event, instead of the by-gone era of the Renaissance."

"Is that so? And have you completed your lessons for today? Father will hardly allow you to leave them half finished," her sister interrogated, stepping closer to the smaller woman.

"She has." Both faces turned to stare at the faunus servant. Her eyes met theirs as her ears twitched. "Miss Schnee has completed her lessons for the night, Mrs. Ironwood." While her sister's icy stare picked apart what Velvet said, Weiss mouthed her gratitude to the faunus servant. Winter's face swiveled back to her sister, glaring at her with similar suspicion.

"Hm. Is that so?" Winter's scowl seemed all the more prevalent, before she sighed. She closed her pale-blue eyes for a moment, before opening them. "Very well. Do not speak unless spoken to. Do not interrupt. Be quiet and listen, and at the first sleight, I will ask you to leave. Understood?"

"Yes, Winter," bowed the smaller girl. The door was knocked upon, signalling Winter and the servant to take their place. Winter motioned to her side and Weiss came running forward, standing her sister as the doors opened to reveal Ozpin and his company.

"Greetings, Mrs. Ironwood, Miss Scarlatina," Ozpin's eyes traced over the two, bowing his head in a polite greeting. His hazel eyes stopped at the third party included among them. "And Miss Schnee."

"Professor Ozpin, Miss Goodwitch, Mister Port, thank you for coming. My little sister will be silently observing the meeting between you and our father. I hope that this is acceptable?"

"Of course. The more the merrier. Please, lead the way."

Winter nodded her head and began to walk, leading the small group deeper into the Schnee mansion. Weiss noticed Ozpin's driver stay where he was, planting his feet down like a statue. Winter led the group, followed by Ozpin and Miss Goodwitch side by side, then herself, and finally Velvet behind her.

The walk to her father's office did not take long. Whitaker Schnee waited in his personal work room, a spacious room that resembled more of a dining room, in all honesty. He sat at the head of the table, as usual, quietly enjoying a meal prepared for him by the kitchen staff.

"Ozpin, Glynda, please, sit down, sit down." Her father lifted his fork and tapped it against his glass, signalling for two servants to enter the room. "Prepare meals for my guests at once."

The two bowed their heads and retreated back into the kitchen, leaving the five to one another. Ozpin and his secretary, Glynda, sat on the right of her father, while Weiss and her sister sat to the left. The professor was the first to speak up, speaking with trained clarity and charisma.

"Thank you for having us, old friend."

"Anything for you, Ozpin. Please, tell me why you needed to speak to me? I trust your campaign is running well?"

"Well-funded and well-ran, thanks to my second," answered Ozpin. He motioned to the woman beside him, who merely nodded curtly. "And with your donations."

"Of course."

"But there is a matter of discussion Glynda and I had. It's why we came here. We are worried at a possible point of contention between our two organizations."

"Contention? Whatever do you mean, Ozpin?"

"You recently made several large donations to the Women's Christian Temperance Union, the Anti-Saloon League, and the the Prohibition Party. You have been very vocal about these donations, and your belief in enforcing the Prohibition?"

"I did." In a moment, the air seemed to change around Weiss. Her father's smile vanished from his lips, and his eyes sharpened, scrutinizing Glynda and Ozpin under his aquamarine eyes. "Why would this be a point of contention, Ozpin? Don't tell me you are against the Prohibition Act?" His icy eyes sent a chill down Weiss' spine, and even her stoic sister stood straighter, more rigid and alert.

Her father held a strong distaste for alcohol, and an even fiercer hatred for those that partook in it. Her father's hand twitched as he slammed his fork to the wooden surface, shaking the table. His glove hand tightened as his fingers twisted into a fist. Despite all of this, Ozpin and his assistant seemed unperturbed.

"I simply feel that such large investments are impractical towards such a trivial issue."

"Trivial?" Her father's hand slammed into the table again, shaking his plate and glass. "Alcohol, and those that partake in it, are poisons to this nation! If you're going to run for any position of power in this nation, Ozpin, you can't possibly be trying to argue that."

"I am not trying to argue anything of the sort, but I simply believe that we should put our resources to more practical goals, such as stamping down on organized crime or theft."

Glynda recited, as if reading the facts from a paper. "Since the Prohibition Act's implementation, there has been a rise in organized criminal activity. There are criminals acting in unified, strategic manners to create anarchy or simply to participate in the growing black market. Not to mention the damage the Prohibition Act is causing for the national government. Without alcohol taxes on stores, bars, and restaurants, the national treasury has lost millions of dollars."

Weiss had to catch her jaw from nearly dropping. Ozpin's assistant spoke so curtly, so recklessly to her father.. The growing anger from her father was almost palpable, but the blonde did not seem to care. Ozpin merely picked up where she left off.

"And perhaps most damaging of all?" The growing mistrust between the people and the government meant to aide them. When the average man and woman would rather hide in the shadows with true criminals, instead of in the light of those they voted into power, change must be applied."

"Any change to the status quo come with growing pains. Give it time and the people will be thanking me for my work!" His voice was hoarse, almost scratchy as he roared. Rarely did he ever raise his voice to this level. Most people just knew to avoid his wrath, and if they didn't, they'd quickly learn. Ozpin and Glynda continued to be the exceptions.

"Please, calm down, Mr. Schnee. We merely believe your resources can be put to better use. There are thieves, thugs, and murderers out there, running free while you focus your wealth to making alcohol marginally more difficult to acquire."

"Who do you think is the one serving the alcohol?! Out there in their dirt-covered, grimey speakyeasys! All they do is drown themselves in liquor while that awful racket they call music plays! Winter, what is it called!?"

"Jazz, father."

"Yes. Jazz," he huffed, slowly calming down. His every breath was labored, his every word quaking. "All they do in their clubs is play that awful music, drink liquor, and sin. The youth of this country become criminals because of places like this, and I won't allow it. I won't let my daughters grow up in a world where they can be preyed upon by vices like them. So to give you a simple answer, Ozpin, I will continue to make donations to the organizations I see fit to. This money is mine, and need I remind you, I can reconsider my donations at any time."

"There will be no need for that, Mr. Schnee," replied Ozpin. "We were merely asking you, not demanding. We meant no offense."

"Hm. Of course not," her father grumbled.

* * *

The remainder of the dinner was held within an air of tension. Ozpin and his secretary made small talk with her father, but every sentence spewed from her father seemed peppered with hate for whatever had caught his ire. He slandered and cursed the unemployed and newly immigrated, and he almost seemed to want to bring the topic back to jazz and liquor, just so he could complain about them.

Ozpin and Glynda continued to quietly accept what he said as they ate. Weiss and her sister simply quietly ate their food, only answering when spoken to.

Weiss never knew how to react when her father's anger reached this point. There were times she wished she said she could match his fury, if only so she wouldn't feel so out-of-place beside him. She looked at the Faunus servants that stepped inside to take their dirty plates and she considered what her father thought of them. The Faunus were not seen as equals by her father, in truth, he considered them only slightly higher than pets to the Schnee family.

Despite this, the Faunus servants never seemed that bad to Weiss. Her light-blue eyes followed Velvet's quiet figure as she picked up a plate and silently carried it away. The rabbit faunus had worked at the mansion for as long as Weiss could remember, and never had the rabbit seemed as savage or unintelligent as her father would curse.

"Thank you, Miss Scarlatina."

"It is my pleasure, Miss Schnee."

Polite. Humble. Kind. Velvet was an excellent servant, and one that had earned Weiss' professional respect, if nothing else. She was nothing like what her father accused the faunus of being.

How many other things were her father wrong about? That was a question that Weiss had found herself wrestling with since her youth.

"You know, Whitaker, I wouldn't be so quick to reject the new arts. Times are changing, and the next generation wants to make their own future, not repeat our present." Ozpin stood up from his seat when dinner came to an end, his gentle features curling into an easy smile. He projected an air of comfort, Weiss noticed, a helpful talent for a future politician.

"I don't see why that would be the case. We live in a beautiful age. A purer age. Take a look at Miss Scarlatina, for example." The bunny faunus froze in her place and faced the table of men and women. Weiss could see her slight shiver, as if she was afraid that a single hair out of place would lead to punishment. "She has been working for my family for years as one of my daughter's personal servants. In exchange, I pay her well and even ensure she has a home."

"Women can even vote now," he continued. "You've been keeping tabs on me, Ozpin, surely you know I've also made donations into women's rights. All out of love for my daughters," he declared, motioning to Winter and Weiss. "Everything I do is to ensure the safety and well-being of my daughters in this world."

"Is that why you wish to force both of your daughters to be married to strangers?" Glynda jeered. Weiss caught the slight deflation in Winter's shoulders as her marriage was brought up.

"That is why I want to entrust my daughters to wealthy, cultured men who will treat my children well. Like James Ironwood. Kind, intelligent, firm, and from Atlas as well. These are fine traits in a man."

The blonde woman looked ready to retort, butOzpin lifted a gloved hand between Glynda and Whitaker Schnee, requesting silence among the two. Both obeyed him, merely glaring at one another over Ozpin's shoulder. "Enough. It is obvious that we will not be agreeing on anything tonight. Whitaker, perhaps we should reconvene at the Vale Opera house? Enjoy a show of your choice, Whittaker?"

"Hm. Ozpin, I don't suppose this is your attempt to butter me up to whatever requests or suggestions you have next for me?" Her father's voice had a slight playfulness to it now. Ozpin seemed to know perfectly what to say and how to diffuse a situation.

"Of course not. Merely one friend caring for another."

Weiss didn't believe him, and she doubted her father did, but the old man still let out a hearty laugh. "Fantastic. Please, have your secretary call mine. We'll set up a date. Winter, Velvet, would you be so kind as to show Miss Goodwitch and Professor Ozpin the way back?"

"Yes, sir."

"As you wish, father."

_Uh oh,_ Weiss watched as the four began to leave. Her sister offered her a sympathetic glance, but she dared not do anything more. Not in front of their father. Weiss could feel the air turn to ice as her father's eyes hardened. His smile fell into a scowl as the door clicked shut. "Father-"

"You are supposed to be studying. Why are you here, Weiss?"

"I am studying. I am studying modern day politics, instead of history from a hundred years ago," she replied, speaking with trained elegance and style. Her voice dripped with reason and poise. It was an excellent mask for the racing rhythm of her heart.

"I gave you an assignment and you ignored it."

"I took initiative." Her fingers stroked and touched one another as she stood up from her seat. She took a balanced position in front of her father, trying to be brave, but feeling like she was standing in front of a firing squad. "I want to understand the things you do. I merely-"

"Do not try to make excuses for your actions. I know why you came here, though I do not understand why. You will change nothing. My mind is set. You will not inherit my company."

"You support women voting, but not your own daughter with your company?"

"With my life's work? No. Not even to you," he stated, his voice even as Weiss felt his words skewer her heart. "You will be married off to a wealthy bachelor like your sister. You will live a life of luxury as his wife. Consider yourself-"

"It isn't your life's work..."

"Excuse me?" His voice dared her to speak out of turn again. His love for Weiss gave her a single chance to avoid further punishment.

"It isn't your life's work." Weiss's cool gaze glared into her father's eyes. "It's your father's." She threw the chance back at him.

"Enough!" His voice was suddenly booming, like a gunshot. It echoed off of the walls of the small meeting room, bouncing back against the quaking girl. Weiss couldn't hide the mousey squeak her throat made, her fire vanishing under his cold, uncaring gaze. "I will not be spoken to within my own home! You are my daughter, and you will always have my love, but you will not have my respect by throwing a tantrum like some spoiled brat! Go to your room! Now!"

"You can't just-"

"If you insist on acting like a child, I will treat you like one! Out!" He pointed the door behind Weiss, his grey brows furrowed, wrinkled with rage as scowl grew into utter rage. His features were twisted, no longer cold, but enraged.

Weiss didn't know what to say. Her head hung down as she held back a shudder. Her pristine teeth dug into her lip, before she silently obeyed. She avoided her father's glare as she turned away and quietly walked out of the room. She could hear the soft rhythm of her footsteps meld with the labored breaths of her father. She stopped in the doorway, hand on the edge of the wall as her other hand squeezed, tightening into a shaking fist.

_Apologize._

_Stop it. Say something._

_Say something!_

"I-I'm sorry." She was surprised by the broken, stilted tone of her own voice. "I'm sorry, father," she repeated, clearing her voice and hiding her sorrow. He didn't say anything in response. He just bid her a silent goodbye. The door closed behind her, leaving Weiss alone. She stood there for a moment, her father's words echoing through her mind. She took the nauseous writhing in her stomach and bottled it away as she began walking back to her room.

"I apologize for his behavior. Are you okay, Miss Schnee?"

"Huh?" She lifted her head to find Ozpin standing in the decorated hall with a smile on his face. He had his arms crossed over his body, hands resting on the silver handle of his black cane. "Professor Ozpin?" Her vision of the professor was a blurry mess of green, blacks and the almond-brown of the hallway. She rubbed at her eyes, drying them of the small pools growing beneath them.

"Hello, Miss Schnee. I apologized if I startled you."

"What are you doing here? Is there something I can help you with...?" she asked, hesitantly.

"Actually, there appeared to be something I could help you with."

"Huh?"

"You appeared as though you had a question on your mind. When I saw you, you acted as though you wanted to speak, but couldn't. I didn't know if there was something I could assist with?"

"I-" Weiss' eyes fell to the carpeted floor, avoiding his curious eyes. She could hear the quiet footsteps as he approached her. "No. There was nothing."

"Ah. My mistake then." The silence of the hallway was deafening. Weiss lifted up her head to glance at the older man, finding him standing before her, staring at the door to her father's meeting room. "Whitaker Schnee is not an evil man."

"Huh?"

"But he is far from a perfect man. He is firmly planted in what he does know and does not want to further his horizons. A shame. To understand something and reject it is disappointing, to reject something without ever attempting to understand it? That is a tragedy."

"I'm sorry?"

"I apologize, I was merely thinking aloud. Would you be so kind as to walk with me back to my car?"

"Oh! Of course, Professor." Weiss nodded her head, and the two began to walk side-by-side down the empty hall. Her eyes drifted onto the older man, before darting back to the end of the hall. "Professor? Hypothetically speaking, were I to have a question, would you be willing to answer it?"

"But of course, Miss Schnee."

"But... would you also be willing to keep it from my father?"

To her surprise, his response was near instant. "Completely understandable. I promise that anything said between the two of us will be kept only between the two of us." His almond eyes shined with a warmth that Weiss found herself unfamiliar with. She looked the older man over with her azure eyes. He was a known samaritan, famed for his altruistic ways.

Of course, so was her father's.

"He can't know I'm asking you any of this."

"Weiss." The sound of her own name broke her from her stupor. Ozpin had stopped walking. The front door was just a few paces away from them now, but his focus and attention was on her. He stared at her, but he didn't try to coax or reel a response out of her. He waited for her. His soft eyes told her all she needed to know. He would keep her secret.

"What's out there?" A grey brow rose and vanished under Ozpin's hairline as he silently awaited her next word. "My father keeps me to a strict schedule. Studies, practice, sometimes I perform, but I've never been able to just walk outside and... see what the world is like."

"The world outside? Crime is rampant. Some nights, bigotry outweighs compassion. Most people refuse to listen to one another. It isn't always a kind world out there. Some nights, looking out at the world is like staring at a pit. Dark and unknowing, but you can feel it change you in the pit of your stomach..." His eyes dared not look at her, only staring forward at the front door.

"T-that sounds awful..." _So my father was right...?_

"It's what your father would say." Ozpin's fingers squeezed his cane, before gently drumming along the metal ornament. "And perhaps it is truer some nights than others, but I believe differently. It is dangerous, I do not doubt that, but there is life to the chaos outside. Neon lights shining in the night, smiling faces and friendly men and women, everyone looking for their place in life..." Weiss tried to imagine what he was saying. She tried to imagine the world Ozpin told her about, but she struggled to picture what she had never seen. "And the music... The music is truly, truly spectacular."

"Jazz. That's what you mentioned earlier, didn't you?"

"I did, though jazz is more of a catch-all term for the rise of this era's music. Jazz comes in many different shapes and forms, you see."

"What is it? I've never heard of it before. My father has spoken about it, but..."

"I understand." A gentle hand fell upon her shoulder, and the grace and warmth it held was almost unnatural to the wealthy woman. She blinked once, twice, before looking up to the concerned face of the professor. "I've heard jazz described as many things. Youth. Excitement. A passing fad. Racket. But one term for it has always struck right by me. Jazz is, quite simply, freedom."

"Freedom...?" Weiss's fingers crumpled the soft, pristine cloth of her skirt. She could feel her hot fingertips through the white dress. Her mind took the word in, and her lips gently repeated the word, wordlessly examining the seven letter word. "It must be nice."

"Your father, and others like him, disagree."

"And what do you think, Profesor Ozpin?"

"I believe that we should all strive to understand what we don't already, and that includes you, Miss Schnee." His hazel eyes fell upon her once more, she realized, but they held a spark of something more. The light of sympathy still rang true, but now there was the smolder of a growing fire. "I believe to truly understand something, you should seek it out first hand. If you wish to learn, then learn."

"My father would never allow me to bring jazz music into his house, Professor."

"Then seek it out yourself." Ozpin lifted a hand from his cane and reached into his coat pocket. From within it, he retrieved a single, crisp white card. On the card was an address. "Go to this address. If you need to, you may use my name as an excuse for your father. I will vouch with whatever story you tell, as long as it is within reason. I wish for you to go to this address and experience what you have not been able to in the past."

"W-what is this?" she asked, taking the card between two delicate fingers.

"A secret. You have trusted myself with one of yours, now I will do the same with you. Once there, ask if you can see what they have in the back. Follow them. Just please be careful. I can loan you my driver, Peter Port, if you would like. He can drive you there and back, if need be. Finally, while I understand you are a woman now, I do advise you avoid any hard liquor. Best not to overwhelm yourself."

"L-liquor?" It took all of Weiss' self-control not to scream that out. Her eyes widened into plates as her pupils almost seemed to shrink in the oceans of white. She glanced at the card, before looking at the bemused man. He seemed unperturbed by all of this... "P-Professor? Is this a... a speakeasy?"

"I prefer the term jazz club, but I see no point in splitting hairs." His cane tapped the surface of the floor, and she could see the playful smile on his lips. His eyes contained a gleam of mirth that she would have thought Ozpin too old to have. "I am trusting you with this secret, as you trust myself with yours, Miss Schnee. I pray you do not betray my trust."

"I-I... N-no. Of course not, Professor." Weiss didn't know what else to say. It was true that Ozpin had her in a position of mutual destruction. If she said anything of this to the wrong person, he could do the same with her father. The very fact that she was curious about the world outside could spell out doom for her, not to mention it would cause her gilded cage to become even smaller.

The golden paint that covered the bars would erode and flake off, and her father would drop all pretenses... The thought made Weiss feel nauseous, but she tried to stomach the discomfort and focus on Ozpin.

"I simply want to understand what is kept from me. I want the chance to grow from out of his shadow."

"Paint beyond the canvas given to you." He chuckled at that, his smile even widening as he saw Glynda step back into the house. Her emerald eyes glared at her employer, silently motioning for him to hurry. He held up a single hand, politely asking for Glynda to wait a moment. Weiss made a mental note of how unique the relationship between the two was. A woman ordering a man around so openly? It wasn't anything like she'd seen before...

"I have one last piece of advice for you, Miss Schnee." He began to march forward, his cane swinging with a bit more speed and energy than it had before. "Hide your identity. If you truly wish to experience the world outside for what it is, you may want to see it through the eyes of the average woman. The world may not be ready for the great Weiss Schnee inside of a jazz club."

"Y-yes, Professor. I'll keep that in mind..."

And without another word, he bid her a silent goodbye. He left her behind as Weiss struggled to understand what had happened. Her azure eyes glanced to the slip of paper between her fingers. She read the word placed above the address.

"Beacon?"

* * *

That led her here.

That led her to wear a dress she hadn't worn in years, a white, chemise dress that hung from her shoulders, just past her knees. A white dress with a azure rim that brought out the color in her eyes, at least that's what the servants said it did. A similar coat wrapped around her petite body, keeping her body warm under the cold, night wind. Her heels tapped against the concrete floor as Port bid her goodbye, driving off with a wave of his hand and a smile on his face. She wore dark blue, almost black heels on her feet, beautiful in appearance, but practical in design, made of a hardly damaged leather build.

Finally, there was the most important feature of her disguise. Her hat and wig. The hat was a cloche, simple, slightly off-white, and soft to the touch. A cyan ribbon wrapped itself around the fabric, adding a bit of color to the monochrome design. It held onto her head slightly tighter than she'd prefer, but a needed sacrifice.

If the ruffians and barbarians inside saw it slip from her head, they'd be all over her, begging for cash and the chance to work for her family. She'd rather avoid that all together.

Her long, white locks were hidden beneath the hat, with a raven-colored wig between her albino locks and the cloche. It wasn't perfect, it would have to do.

The only evidence that she was Weiss Schnee was her pale, almost porcelain-like skin, and her royal blue eyes.

The doors to the goods store stood in front of her were completely still, made of a cheap, dark wood that had the nicks and scratches that years of existence would give. She swallowed the lump down her throat and pinched her index finger with her other hand. There was no going back now...

_Ozpin wouldn't have sent you out here to die. It's going to be okay._ She plastered a smile onto her face, only to wipe it clean. She closed her eyes and let out a steady breath. Another grin pasted itself onto her face as she walked towards the door. As she walked forward, her eyes caught the sign on the left door. It hung from a single, rusted nail on the wall.

_Welcome to Beacon Goods and Provisions. A light in the dark._

**END**


	2. Ain't Misbehavin'

 

"May I help you?" The dark-haired store clerk barely rose up from his book. He only offered the briefest glance towards Weiss, before returning to it. His frustration and exhaustion was transparent as Weiss stood in front of the front desk.

She hesitated a moment, unaccustomed to being so rudely treated, but she had to remember. This world wasn't as civilized or refined as her own, and she was not Weiss Schnee. She was just another nobody. "I'd like to see the back?"

The man stared at her as if she was loony. Maybe she was. She was here, after all. But instead of calling to attention her insanity, he stood up and walked over to the door behind him. He gave it a single knock as he called out to someone. "Hey, Russel!"

"Yeah, Dove!?" a voice shouted from the back.

"Got another one!"

Dove returned to his stool behind the desk as the doors were opened. Another clerk stepped out of it, wearing the same dirty apron and pants that 'Dove' wore. What stood out most, though, was his hair. Wild, unkempt, and pointed at the ceiling in a single row on his head. He resembled more of a geek at the local circus than any self-respecting man Weiss knew.

"Whoa... Hey there, dollface," he greeted, his eyes widening at the sight of Weiss. The girl felt pride over the fact that she was being looked upon even in her disguise, but also disgust at the leering eyes of the skinny man. She couldn't hide the slight frown on her lips as the odd man motioned her into the backroom, looking left and right as if to ensure there was no one else in the small shop.

"Enjoy the show," the shop clerk, Dove, muttered.

Weiss left the young man behind as she followed Russel into the backroom. It was poorly lit, dusty, and full of crates and cans and commoner goods' that were all poorly organized. If Winter saw this room there'd be hell to pay, Weiss was sure of that. She quietly gagged at the dust that piled on the wooden shelves that lined the walls. Russel led her to a large, wooden crate off-center of the room. With surprising ease, he pushed the crate aside to reveal a door on the ground.

"Right this way, doll," he grinned, winking at her as he lifted the door up. Weiss ignored the unappealing man and looked down the doorway, finding a small, timber ladder. It led down into darkness, the only light coming from the room above, showing a wooden floor.

"I... T-this is the way to the... club?" she asked, glancing into the darkness below.

"You know it, doll! Want me to uh... walk ya down there?" To Weiss' continued disgust, the man licked the palm of his hand and wiped it into his hair, temporarily bending his emerald locks. It took a moment's breath for it to pop back into place.

"No. You can stay here, and just for the record?" The disguised woman began to step down into the dark, grabbing onto the ladder firmly with both hands. Her icy-blue eyes glared at the clerk, ensuring that he could see the utter seriousness of her words. "Don't ever call me doll again. You have no chance, so don't even try."

"I-"

"Goodbye." Weiss grabbed the door and swung it down, slamming it shut and trapping her in darkness. She blinked for a moment, before massaging the bridge of her nose with one hand. _I didn't think that through._ She finished climbing down the ladder and stretched out her arms, blindly waving her limbs as she sought to find... anything. _I'm going to die. I've been so stupid. What was I thinking?! Maybe I should just try to find the ladder and-_

She heard the soft metallic click of a doorknob being turned, and then there was light. Bright and blinding for a moment, only to be blocked by a standing figure.

"Hey there! What cha doin' standing around for?! Come on in!"

"Wha- HEY!" The silhouette grabbed her arm and pulled her forward, practically tossing her into the light. She stumbled, nearly falling, only to catch herself on a wooden railing. "Watch what you're do... do...?" The words died in her throat as her mind was overloaded by all the lights and sounds that came to life. She did not even hear the sound of the door being slammed shut behind her.

She stood above the dance floor, looking down at the new world around her. All she saw, all she heard, it was like stepping into another world. Her old life seemed miles away as she saw all the lights that decorated the walls. They weren't just the faint gold her home was filled with. There were all kinds of colors, pink, green, blue, red, a whole rainbow of them! The light was... it was bent to create words on the walls. Phrases like 'Party on!' 'Freedom!' and 'Beacon!' decorated the walls, made of the colorful light.

"Neon signs..."

The people below were bathed in more subtle, less vibrant light, but they made up for it by being almost radiant themselves. Grinning faces, howling laughter... and the way they moved. There was such life to them, to all of them. It was nothing like the parties Weiss had attended before. Those were quiet, eloquent, and almost monotonous. She had never seen so many happy faces, so many real ones, at any of her father's celebrations. The people, of all walks of life, even faunus, danced and melted into one another.

"Happy faces..."

It was madness, and she could see were the traces of order within it. There was an outline of tables and chairs, where those who didn't want to dance sat and watched. On the right wall was, what Weiss imagined was, a bar with shelves of bottles and drinks behind the single bartender. There seemed to be a light behind them, the light flowing through them, highlighting the differences each bottle held. There was finally the dance floor in the center of the room, sitting in front of a gorgeous, cherry wood stage. The vibrant, scarlet curtains closed behind a man as he walked onto the stage, standing before a microphone.

"Good evening, gents and dames."

All of the faces below her turned their head to the speaker. He stood on the beautifully crafted stage, confidence and ease flowing from him with every word. He wore black dress pants over his legs, with silver shoes donning his feet. His upper half was far more interesting though. Not because of how finely dressed he was, but how finely dressed he wasn't. If that made sense...

He wore a grey, finely pressed vest over an untucked white dress shirt. A hat, a fedora, Weiss believed, sat atop his head with a light blue streak around it. A tie of similar color hung loosely from the man's collar. The ensemble should have been a mess, and it would have resulted in a fierce scolding had her father seen, but the dark-skinned man wore the disorganized outfit so well, and with such confidence, that Weiss almost felt like the odd one out. His formally informal attire made him better suited for the underbelly of the city than Weiss' pristine, untouched dress.

"Now, I'm sure all of you are looking forward to our main event: the one and only Miss Katt-" Weiss almost jumped at the sudden fervent applause and hysterical cheers from the crowd. The man on the stage grinned, nodding his head as if he was expecting the screaming. "But while Miss Katt is getting herself ready, please enjoy, and I know you will, our opening act. So kick, back, relax, and have yourselves an amazing night with the swingin' Coco Adel and her Hot Two! I can guarantee to you all, they're the berries!" he grinned. A third, possibly louder, cheer was his answer as he walked off the stage and the curtains opened to reveal a trio of musicians.

Each one wore dark, black shades over their faces. A tall, lanky man stood by a large double bass, which was just a few inches taller than himself. He didn't seem to give the audience much attention as he tipped his fedora down from the glare of the spotlights. A larger, burly man sat at a drumset. He looked to be of Oriental descent, Weiss noticed. He gave a polite bow to the crowd, but nothing more. Both men wore outfits similar to the announcers, though orange in the case of the lanky man and dark green in the case of the larger one, though both were cleaned up and tucked in. They might not have looked too out of place at finer establishment...

Finally, there was the woman in the center. Unlike her two bandmates, she soaked up the attention, holding out her arms and basking in the limelight. Her body was outlined in a gorgeous, hazel-colored dress that seemed to shimmer under the light. It hugged her body without shame, and Weiss' eyes almost widened at the sight of the long slit that nearly revealed her leg to the audience. She stood with a confidence that Weiss thought was almost infectious as she wrapped her slender fingers around the microphone. Even from so high above her, Weiss could see a smirk on the woman's lips.

"Whoo! Go, Coco!"

"Knock 'em dead, Fox!"

"Yatsuhashi!"

"Pretty cool, huh? I love these guys!"

_Huh? Oh. Her._ In all honesty, the disguised princess had forgotten almost completely about the woman that had so rudely threw her out here. Weiss turned behind her to give the woman a clear warning, only to stop as she saw her outfit. If Coco's outfit was risque, then this woman was practically breaking the law. It was a dress, like her own save for the pink color, but also nothing like hers. The dress stopped over her knees, showing off skin for both legs. A few inches was all that stood between the woman and her underwear being revealed. Not only that, as if her outfit wasn't indecent enough, the woman's breasts were on display!

Weiss' father would never allow either of his daughters to wear such provocative garb, yet this redheaded woman in front of her seemed unaffected by the fact. She stood proudly, almost puffing out her supple chest as she smiled at Weiss.

"I'm Nora! What's your name?"

"Uh..." Weiss' eyes darted back and forth between the orange-haired woman's toothy grin and her half-exposed breasts. Her lower jaw hung from her mouth, thankfully salvation came as a welcomed distraction.

First, it was a low strumming noise. The lanky man was pulling on the strings with his bare hand as the giant created a rhythm with his drums. Coco began to shake her hips, bouncing her hourglass body from one side to another as she sang, each one in perfect, synchronized tune with one another as they moved and played as one.

Men and women seem to slowly flood over the dancefloor, moving their arms and legs in erratic, exaggerated motions that Weiss could find no rhyme or reason to. They simply moved their bodies to the song, much to the musicians' joy. Coco, especially, seemed to enjoy watching the audience's chaotic moves.

"Ooh! This one's bee's knees! Whoo!" 'Nora' cheered, shaking her hips and moving her arms around as she let the same sickness overtake her. "Come on!" Before Weiss could even attempt to protest, her hand was locked within Nora's and the two were practically flying down the stairs. Weiss had to use her free hand to hold onto her hat, firmly holding it and her wig against her head as the impossibly strong (and buxom) woman yanked her around.

Before she knew it, the two were on the ground and the ginger woman was dragging her into the chaotic mess the dancefloor had become. Weiss tried to dig her heels into the wooden floor, but all attempts to stop only slowed the woman down. When her attempts to stop the insane woman failed, Weiss instead reached out for help, grabbing the arm of whoever was closes and pulling on them.

"Let go of me, you brute!" Weiss commanded, her tone turning haughty and pompous, a typical fallback for her when life wasn't going her way. Thankfully whoever she had grabbed onto was firmly planted, enough so to give Nora pause. The ginger-haired woman turned her head to Weiss, her grin replaced with momentary confusion. "Unhand me! Now!"

"Yeesh. You're a little bearcat, ain't cha, doll?"

_Great. Another louse._ "Do not call me d-" A woman. Weiss had grabbed onto the arm of a woman. A woman who was smirking at her with obvious ill-intent.

"Hey," she greeted, winking at the disguised princess. Weiss released the strange woman's arm like she was on fire and actually retreated to the safety of Nora's side. "Who's this, Nora? Never seen her before." The woman had long, golden-blonde locks, that matched the beautiful gown around her body, that cascaded down her body like a waterfall of light. Her lilac eyes traveled up and down Weiss' body, much like Russel's had.

Except this was a woman.

Weiss was very confused, and that confusion manifested itself as her scarlet, red cheeks. The way the woman was looking at her continued to unnerve her, so much so that she was glancing at Nora for protection.

"Dunno! She hasn't introduced herself yet!"

"Have you given her a chance to yet? When you first met me, it took you a year before I got to introduce myself," the blonde joked, raising a yellow brow into her hairline. Her smirk was toothy, and Weiss almost expected them to twinkle in the light.

"Uhh..." Weiss' azure eyes dipped down for a moment, glaring at the lack of fabric over the woman's chest. Once again, Weiss was turned crimson over the sight of these insane women's lack of decency. The fact that no one commented on the orbs just brought an added fire to Weiss' cheeks. Was this how poor women dressed? With their... their bodies just hanging out?! And the skirts! They were so low... Had these women no shame?!

If so, Weiss was overdressed for the place, and thank goodness for it...

"I'm Yang Xiao Long. I- Hold on a sec. Hey, Ruby!" Weiss couldn't hide her cringe at the sudden volume of the exposed blonde. She waved into the outskirts of the party. Weiss followed her beaming face and spot a man and woman raising their heads from a little table in the corner.

Weiss thanked everything holy as the woman's dress was revealed to be like her own. Sensible, fashionable, but lacking the provocative exposure Nora and Yang's held. It was a slimming, scarlet dress with ebony lines running along the hem of her skirt. She seemed a year or two her younger, because when she approached the three women, Weiss found her to be practically puny in size. Even the cloche hat on her head seemed to slip on occasion, blinding the girl. Weiss watched as the girl's silver eyes peeked through her black locks, though the disguised princess swore she saw this 'Ruby's' hair turn red at the tips.

"Hey, sis! Who's this?"

"Dunno. She hasn't introduced herself yet, but-" Yang's smile turned mischievous again, and Weiss had begun to realize how discomforting that smile was. "I think she likes me. Caught her checking me out."

"What?! I was not!" Weiss couldn't believe what she was being accused of! Her, Weiss Schnee, proud daughter of Whittaker Schnee, ogling another woman?! Was she insane?! "I would never do anything of the-"

"You kinda were," Nora giggled, falling onto Weiss' back. The added weight was like a... heavy thing that one of her servants had to carry around for her. Weiss rarely, if ever, burdened herself with anything so hefty. As the disguised woman struggled with the added weight, Nora prattled on. "It's okay. Everyone's eyes do that when they meet Yang. Except Ren, he- Ooh! You haven't met Ren yet! He's my best pal and I-"

Weiss instantly attempted to tune the insufferable ginger out of her mind. She finally pushed the babbling woman off of her and attempted to find something to distract herself with. Her stare fell upon the new girl, Ruby, and perhaps it came off harsher than it was meant to, because the raven-haired child seemed to flinch at her icy glare. Weiss considered apologizing for a moment, but decided against it. The last thing she needed was another person talking.

"Look, I don't know who any of you are-"

"I told ya. I'm Yang, that's Nora, and this is my little sister, Ruby. Haven't you been paying attention?"

"And I don't care! I-"

"H-hey there, I'm Jaune."

_Interrupted again!_ _? Does no one here have any manners?!_ Weiss' glare pierced the new speaker's soul, impaling it upon a frozen icicle. Whoever this blonde buffoon was, she delivered a soul-chilling glare at him. The young man immediately shivered under the pressure of her glare. He was the only man Weiss had gotten a clear look at since coming down here, and she was not impressed.

The boy's clothes were simple. A dark dress shirt tucked into dark blue pants, with a pair of straps hooked onto it and over his shoulders. He looked like some average, working class man compared to the fashionably dressed, if revealing in some cases, women. Hardly anyone worth Weiss' attention, especially with her patience already worn so thin. The blonde boy stepped out of her way as Weiss stomped by, leaving the three women and the oafish buffoon behind her.

She found an unoccupied stool and fell upon it, laying her head on the cool surface of the counter as she tried to gather her thoughts. Her face fell into her hands as her elbows supported the heavy weight of her head.

"Anything to drink?" a voice asked her.

Weiss forced her tired eyes open, glaring at the man on the other side of the counter. The man had black hair, with a streak of magenta etching out of the raven locks that matched his eyes. Weiss did not know how the young man's hair did that, but she didn't care enough to ask. She glanced down at the man's clothing and found it similar to a waiter, with a black vest over a white, long sleeved dress shirt. A long, partly stained, apron covered his legs, almost like a dress as he awaited her response.

"Do you serve alcohol...?" she asked, hesitantly.

"Yes, ma'am." The man nodded his head curtly, his face never expressing more than the very base of emotion. "Would you like a glass of anything in particular?"

"I..." Weiss' azure eyes sharpened slightly, trying to pick apart the waiter. He was dressed like the servants back home, but he lacked the artificial smile and plastered friendliness most contained. Instead, he just looked... statuesque. "No."

"Very good, ma'am. What can I get for you?" His hands moved like a separate extension of his body, picking up an empty glass that Weiss hadn't noticed was sitting in front of her. He followed by pulling out a white, pristine cloth from his apron's pocket. He then began to clean the cup with the cloth, his eyes never budging from Weiss.

"Ren!" Weiss cringed in discomfort at the shrill voice and the familiar presence of Nora sliding next to her on the neighboring stool. "She's new! Hit her with the good stuff!" she commanded, slamming a hand onto the wooden surface.

"Nora..."

"Good stuff?" Weiss saw the glint in Nora's turquoise eyes and her own heart filled with dread. She nearly bolted out of her seat as she pushed the woman away, glaring at her. "I don't want anything of the sort! You!" Weiss' glare fell upon the bartender, who merely raised his brow at her sudden outrage. "Don't you dare give me any of that poison!" she commanded, pointing at the bottles of liquor behind him.

"As you wish, ma'am," the bartender, 'Ren,' nodded.

"Whoa. She is a bearcat." Nora was completely unaffected by the woman's outburst, which simply drove Weiss further up the wall.

"Why do you people keep calling me that?!"

"My co-worker merely means you seem spirited. Lively. Slightly hot-tempered," the bartender explained, reciting the explanation like he was reading from a dictionary.

"Yeesh, you don't get out much, do ya?" Nora teased, gently elbowing the young woman. Weiss was about to demand she leave, when another voice called out to them.

"Yo, Nora, table seven wants their drinks!"

"Aye aye, Captain Flynt!" Nora gave an imitation salute at some approaching figure, before skipping away from the bar. Weiss thanked her lucky stars, only to frown as the stranger continued to approach her. A brief glance revealed it to be the announcer man from earlier, now with a pair of black shades adorned on his face.

"Everything good here, Ren?" The raven-haired man nodded his head as he continued to quietly clean glasses. Weiss had hoped the man would ignore her so she could have time to properly compose herself, but she soon found that he had other plans. "Hey there, miss. I don't recognize you... How you likin' Beacon so far, Snowflake?"

Weiss shot the young man a glare. He looked no older than she did, but the air he carried with him was different to everyone else in this 'establishment.' He smiled at her, but looking at it now, there was a danger in his pearly, white teeth. The way he spoke, the way he acted, even the way he dressed, everything just set off a tiny alarm in her head. This was the kind of miscreant that her father warned her the world was filled with.

"I am quite alright, thank you. In fact, I'd rather like it if you, and the other hoodlums of this place kept their distance from me," Weiss hissed.

"Miscreants?" The man raised a brow, and promptly ignored Weiss' demands as he sat beside her. Ren began to quietly pouring some of that liquid poison into a cup as the new man's eyes traveled up and down her body. There was a slight, downward curve to his lip as Weiss continued to glare at him. When he said nothing, she took it as a sign to speak.

"Them." She motioned to the small audience she had earned, made up of the staring blonde, her dark-haired sister, and the annoying man with them. "That orange-haired waitress and her friends. They're absolutely insane."

"Hey!" the dark-haired girl exclaimed.

The stranger held up a hand to the three onlookers, staring intently at Weiss. The disguised princess ground her teeth, finding his stare growing more and more obnoxious with each passing second. She opened her mouth to demand he stop, only for him to interrupt her! "Well, ma'am, if you don't like it, you can leave."

To say Weiss was shocked by the blunt remark was an understatement. This common crook was telling HER to leave?! Acting as if she was the problem here and not the uncivilized, brats behind them?! Of course, criminals looking after criminals... Well, Weiss wouldn't take such indignation sitting down. She stood up, and despite her short stature, stood above the sitting man. "How dare you?! I have never been spoken to in such a manner!"

"Then I'm happy to be the first, Snowflake. Either shut up and drink, or get out. Dig?" He spoke so plainly, so simply. It lacked any of the artificial kindness that she was used to. She would have been fascinated, were she not so angered.

Her cheeks glowed with a rosy hue as she gave her retort. "I don't want any of that poison juice. If you make sure those idiots keep their distance from me and stop bothering me, I can 'play nice,' but I won't be spoken to in such a manner, especially not from someone I don't even know."

"Name's Coal. Flynt Coal. I help run this place when the Boss ain't around. So I actually do have the authority to kick you out if I want to," he explained with smug satisfaction. "Now then, why else would you be here if not for the drinks?"

He took the small, glass cup from Ren and slid it over to her. She watched as it slowed to a stop in front of her; the amber liquid sloshing inside, threatening to spill from the translucent cup. Cubes of ice gently tapped against the walls of the cup, staring at her like a pair of eyes...

_So this is liquor...?_ Weiss stared at the drink with distrusting eyes. She picked up the cup with trembling fingers, watching the liquid gently flow back and forth. The ice made a slight noise, like a bell. She brought the drink under her nose and took a hesitant sniff, only to gag at the odor. "Ugh! Disgusting!" She slammed the cup back down onto the counter and rubbed her naked wrist against her nose. "How can anyone drink such a thing?"

"You're really not here for the booze, are you?" Flynt inquired, raising a single, dark brow.

"Of course not! I have absolutely no intention of drinking anything this bar has to serve.*

"Then why are you here, lady?"

"I'm here for..." Why was she here? Correction, why was she still here? After being man-handled by some crazy woman, leered at by some blonde deviant, and then interrogated by this no-good lowlife?! Her original mission, the entire reason why she was here, was to listen to the music of these people... Jazz, Ozpin called it.

Her eyes fell to the stage and she silently cursed her luck. Coco Adel and her lackies were packing things up and bidding goodbye to the audience. She hardly had a chance to listen to the music before she had been distracted by Nora and the others. Weiss felt her teeth bite into her bottom lip as her azure eyes bounced between Flynt and the stage. An answer sat on her tongue, but she just couldn't say it out loud. Maybe it was distrust for this obvious criminal, perhaps shame at herself for coming here...

Either way, Flynt seemed to understand her without the need for words.

"Music fan, huh?" Flynt's slight scowl turned into an even slighter smile. He crossed his arms, staring at her again, but it wasn't like the stares the other patrons of this speakeasy gave. He wasn't staring at her body, only right into her eyes, as if he was looking for something. "Well, you're in luck. The main show's about to begin."

Flynt reached across the counter and grabbed a green bottle from below, as well as another cup. In one motion, he dropped the glass onto the counter and filled it nearly to the brim with a clear, bubbly liquid. He then slid the new drink over to Weiss, before taking her glass of liquor and downing it in one gulp. He wiped his lips on his arm, before smiling at her.

"Ginger ale. Non-alcoholic." He tipped his hat at her as she took a hesitant smell of the bubbling drink. True to Flynt's words, the drink smelled non-alcoholic. It smelled, instead, like ginger, with an odor of sweetness to it.

"Does this mean you're not throwing me out?" Weiss inquired, raising a brow at the man.

"It means I'm giving you a chance. Don't cause beef with anybody, and everything will be square between us, dig?" Weiss had little idea what some of the words he said meant, but she didn't bother asking. She took a polite sip of her ginger ale and found it to be just as sweet as expected, without any searing pain alcohol would have given her. "By the way, that'll be twenty-five cents for the drink."

"But I didn't even order-" Weiss took a deep breath and released it in a huff. "Fine. Here," she hissed, reaching into a coat pocket and retrieving a coin. She handed it to the young man, who grinned as he slipped the quarter into his vest pocket.

"Happy doing business with you. Enjoy the show, Snowflake."

Flynt tipped his hat at the girl as he walked away, leaving Weiss alone with her drink. The young woman scowled at the sight of his leaving body, glaring at him even as he melted away into the crowd of people. She let out a quiet sigh, before raising the bubbly concoction to her lips. She took a slow, small sip of the ginger ale, savoring the sweet flavor. _At least I'm finally alone..._

"Um... Excuse me?"

Weiss couldn't hide the twitch in her eye as she felt herself being boxed in from both sides. A brief glance showed that the blonde woman was on one side and the dark-haired girl and blonde buffoon were on the other. The young man and younger woman appeared slightly apologetic and ashamed of their earlier behavior, so she allowed them a brief chance to speak before she demanded they leave.

"Hiya, Ice Queen!"

A chance she now regretted considering the annoying tramp's presence, but Weiss did not have the time to voice her distaste for the three before they continued to speak to her.

"So, me, Ruby, and Jaune were talking about you, all good things, all good things," the pervert joked. "And we were thinking, maybe we got off on the wrong foot."

"Is that so?" she growled, her voice dripping with spiteful venom.

"Look, Miss... uh..." The dark-haired girl, Ruby, held out her hand, motioning for Weiss to offer a name. All the disguised rich girl offered, though, was an icy glare. "Um... We all feel bad if we scared you or bothered you or anything. It's just, y'know, we were all excited to meet a new, friendly face. That, and Nora's energy can be kind of infectious, so how about we all start over? I'm Ruby Rose. This is my big sister, Yang."

"Hey," she greeted with a wink.

"And this is my best friend, Jaune Arc."

"H-hey there!"

The three dolts all stared at Weiss expectantly, with varying sized smiles on their faces. Weiss considered, for a brief moment, simply telling the three to leave, but decided against it. If she were to ever return to this forsaken hole in the ground, she'd need to not make enemies. Though she doubted the three could do anything to really harm her name or reputation, they might fall to more primitive, less sophisticated ways retribution.

Violence was probably a common solution in their world...

"Fine. It's... nice meeting all of you," she sighed, shaking Ruby's hand for a brief moment.

"Great! Look at us, being all friendly with each other," Yang beamed. "And now you can enjoy my girl's song with us!"

"Your... girl?"

"Yeah, well, one of. It's an open-relationship, no-ties kind of thing," she explained, but before Weiss could even begin to ask what all that meant, a voice echoed through the speakeasy.

"Ladies and gentlemen." Weiss watched the others turn to the sound of the familiar voice. With a slight huff and sigh, she joined them, staring at that 'Flynt' fellow on the stage beside a microphone. He grinned at the attention, soaking up the audience's anticipation with glee. It seemed the stage was a natural environment for him, almost a second home.

"It's time for the main event, the moment you've all been waiting for, the one..." The lights began to dim, bathing the speakeasy in darkness. "The only!" A single spotlight was turned on, shining a beam of light at the curtains behind Flynt. "Miss Neon Katt!" He leaped off of the stage, vanishing into the darkness as the scarlet curtains were pulled open. Behind them stood a woman unlike any Weiss had seen before...

She had her head down, bowed before the audience. Her hair was long and flowing, orange-red hair, much like Nora's. There were cyan streaks of color that accented her hair, travelling up from her bangs, much like Ren's hair. Her dress matched the streaks in her hair, tightly hugging her body and exposing her sizable chest for all to see, unabashedly so, considering the low cut dress traveled past her breasts, halfway to her stomach. Weiss' felt her cheeks burn, but that wasn't the final surprise this woman held...

The final surprise was a tiny, pink, furry thing that slithered out from behind Neon's body, waving to the audience.

She was a Faunus.

And to Weiss' utter shock, no one seemed to care. There was still the same amount of applause as when her tail was behind her curvaceous body. Neon slowly raised her head up, basking in the light of the spotlight as the cheers began to fade away, replaced by the soft orchestra of a piano. Weiss' eyes strained in the dark, but she was unable to find the source of the music as the Faunus began to sing.

Her voice melted into the piano notes, forming into something new. Weiss blinked, as if her vision was blurred, as if she could not understand just what she was hearing. The song they sang felt different, like a stranger's hand cradling her cheek, but rather than panic and push it away, something enticed her to listen. The music enthralled her to listen... To at least give it a chance.

"No one to talk with, all by myself... No one to walk with, but I'm happy on the shelf..." Neon walked down the steps of the stage, the spotlight following her every move. She walked as if she was stepping on clouds, gracefully, slowly, almost like a ballerina. She had a smile on her face, one that glistened in the light and basked in the eyes of all that looked upon her. "Ain't misbehavin', I'm savin' my love for you, for you, for you, for you..." Several men let out hollers or cheers at that as she pointed at random spectators.

She winked at a random girl, earning a giggle and a vibrant blush from her cheeks as the singer sashayed through the audience. The spotlight followed her as she danced through the sea of people. "I know for certain, the one I love... I'm through with flirtin,' it's just you I'm thinkin' of! Ain't misbehavin,' I'm savin' my love for you!"

This Faunus wasn't just a singing Faunus... she was a singer, Weiss realized. She moved like one, acted like, but most of all... she sang like one. Her voice was like honey, and even Weiss had to admit to how sweet it was to hear. She gazed at the Faunus with unblinking eyes as Neon continued to sing.

"Like Jack Horner in the corner, don't go nowhere. What do I care?" Neon paused and swiveled her head and Weiss was shocked to find the singer staring at her with her glittering, emerald eyes. No... Not her. Beside her. She was staring at Yang, who stepped forward with a wide grin on her face. Neon rolled her shoulder, moving it in time with her hips as she showed just how tightly the dress held her body. Men and women alike called out to her, seemingly turned into animals by her voice.

"Your kisses are worth waitin' for... Believe me," she teased, winking her jade eyes. Weiss was ashamed to admit she took a step back and inched her body behind Ruby's for protection when Neon began to sway her body towards their little group. A brief glance at Ruby and her little gang showed them all to be enthralled by the show, as she had, but none more so than the blonde deviant, Yang.

Yang stepped forward again, drinking in Neon's posturing with thirsty eyes. The crowd parted for the couple, and the spotlight encased them in a golden prison as they smiled at one another. Neon bowed her head again and closed her eyes as her arms wrapped around her body, embracing herself as she sang for her audience of one. Weiss' face turned scarlet at the subtle, provocative movements the Faunus' body gave the human woman.

"I don't stay out late, don't care to go. I'm home about eight, just me and my radio." Neon opened her eyes to find the lilac gems of Yang's staring back at her. Their body pressed against one another, Neon's tail coiling around their stomachs and pressing them even closer. Their lips leaned closer still as Weiss felt the urge to shield her own eyes from the shameful display before her.

"Ain't misbehavin,' I'm savin' my love for you!" She held out the final note, leaning her body back. She would have fallen had Yang not caught her, one hand on her back, the other just above her tail.

And suddenly the music and atmosphere changed. In an instant, everything felt electrified, as if shot by lightning. Trumpets blared. Drums were banged on. And was someone beating a cowbell?

Beams of light shot from above, down onto the stage where men and women that Weiss hadn't even realized were there began to play their instruments. They released a wave of sound and their orchestra almost seemed to rock the entire speakeasy. Weiss swore she saw dust that dirtied the roof come flying off from the raw power of their sound.

Then came the sound of laughter, and she realized that was causing from near her. Nora, the waitress, squealed with joy as she reached over the counter and practically hoisted the bartender off of his feet. They ran into the midst of the crowd, hands locked, spinning around together like a windmill. Others were quick to joy them as the relatively still audience burst with new life.

Men and women, once total strangers, grabbed one another and began to follow in Nora's footsteps. Weiss wouldn't call what they were doing dancing... She had seen dancing. It was meant to be in a ballroom, with each couple spaced between one another in proper form and order. The dance was slow, methodical, and proper... Not... Not this.

Weiss felt like she had been picked up by a wave as she was surrounded by the dancing shapes. She was lost, unsure of what to do. All she could do was watch and let the flowing tide take her to where she was meant to be. Yang and Neon continued to dance in the center of the dance floor as more lights turned on, illuminating the sporadic movements of the other patrons. A brief glance to her side showed Ruby and the blonde man still nearby, though they were clapping their hands in tune with the song, wide grins on their faces.

She felt her head being lifted up and pulled to the stage. The sound of a piano, the instrument that had begun with, and melted into Neon's singing, increased it's tempo. The energy coming from it made her heart pound and her skin tingle. She saw the pianist at work, his dark fingers racing over the ivory keys, pounding on them with masterful speed and skill. It was that man again.

Flynt something...

He rose up from his seat, his place taken by another, as a man threw a large, wooden case at him. Weiss almost gasped at the unnecessary risk, but to her shock, Flynt easily caught the case. He crouched down to open it, before pulling out a gleaming, silver trumpet from the wooden case. He stared at the shining instrument like an old friend, before he stood tall, planted his feet, and played.

And play he did...

His music poured into the ocean of noise seamlessly, yet it shined like a nugget in a riverbed. Weiss' eyes widened, and she felt like her heartbeat quickened to match the song. The energy all around her was like a sickness, and her foot began to scratch against the wooden floor without any real rhythm. Her shoulders swayed left and right. Her fingers tapped against her snow-colored coat, racing to keep in time with the song.

"Oh, I don't stay out late! I don't care to go!" Weiss turned her head, briefly taken away by the trumpet player's hypnotizing melody, and saw Neon and Yang in each other's arms. The blonde held the other woman up, hands under the Faunus' derriere, lifting her up above the sea of people. Neon stretched out her arms, singing with a kind of energy that Weiss had never seen before. "I'm home about eight, just me and my radio! Ain't misbehavin!' I'm savin' my love..." Yang tossed her into the air, where she laughed, and fell into the blonde's arms. They spun in place, laughing and beaming, drunk on their own love and mirth. "For you!"

And they kissed.

A human girl, and a Faunus girl, kissing.

And no one seemed surprised. In fact, they just seemed to ignore the couple and live in their own moment, dancing and drinking. Like nothing outside these walls mattered...

And in that moment, Weiss realized just what this place meant. What the music signified. What all these people really came for. It wasn't just the booze, and it wasn't even for the music. It was freedom.

Within Beacon, these people, Faunus, human, rich or poor, young and old, everyone could be anyone. As long as no one was hurt, there were no expectations or taboos. Their lives weren't mapped out, their futures weren't denied or forced upon them. They simply were. They lived. Who they were didn't matter anymore.

And in that moment, Weiss knew she would be making a return to Beacon...

**END**


	3. Living Upside Down

 

Weiss could almost not believe she was still at Beacon. The music continued to play, though a new band had taken of the Faunus, so that she could come down and mingle with the patrons and attendees. The band played a calming, yet still enthusiastic show, simply giving ambiance to the already lively speakeasy. The disguised rich girl had joined Ruby Rose, Yang Xiao Long, and Jaune Arc at a table where the azure-eyed woman listened to their conversation, only speaking to them when she felt she needed to.

Like when she simply had to call Jaune out on his transparent fibs. "You're a boxer?" Weiss stirred her ginger ale with her straw, throwing a look of utter disbelief at the blonde idiot, Jaune Arc. "Surely, you're joking."

"I'm not! I'm a boxer! I want to be one of the greats," he grinned, holding his fists up. "Like Jack Dempsey or Mickey Walker!"

_Who?_ Weiss silently wondered.

"Y'know, Snow Angel, I was in a fight just last week," he beamed, flashing his teeth at her as she sat across the table from him. Weiss felt a moment of repulsion, recognizing that grin from previous would-be suitors and supposed gentlemen.

"Of which you lost," Yang teased, before downing her shot of liquor. She let out a sigh of relief, causing Weiss' nose to scrunch up as the woman's foul breath blew into her face. Weiss waved her hand in the air, trying to blow the stench away as the blonde harlot continued. "Poor Jaune's here got a glass jaw."

"Hey!"

"And jelly legs."

"Well, I mean-"

"And fists of cotton."

"Aw, he's not that bad!" Ruby, the girl in red, was quick to defend the buffoon, putting a hand on Jaune's shoulder and smiling. The young man seemed to appreciate her defense as he smiled back at her.

"Thank you, Ruby. Least I know someone supports me!" he shouted, throwing a mock glare at Yang, who just downed another glass of liquor.

"Sorry, Vomit Boy. I calls them like I sees them," she chuckled, her cheeks having turned rosy from the continued drinking. Weiss moved her seat as far as she could away from the blonde woman, and towards the scarlet-dressed girl on her left.

"Is she always so repugnant?" she muttered, more thinking aloud than seeking an actual answer. Despite that, Ruby still answered her.

"Yang can hit the giggle water a little hard at times, but's she's still Yang. She can just get kind of loud. And smelly," admitted the younger woman, before she sipped at her own strawberry-flavored drink.

"Apparently..."

"Bah!" The voluptuous woman took a moment to recollect herself, before grinning at the two. "I'm just getting a little . Ain't nothing to worry about! I- Blake! Hey!" Yang rose up from her seat, almost kicking it over, before stumbling away from the table. "Blake! There's my first/second favorite kitty cat! Come here and give momma a kiss!"

Weiss watched the disheveled, and drunk, woman nearly trip over herself as she ran to another Faunus that had just entered the speakeasy. This one had long, black-as-night locks that reached down her body, and a matching bow atop her head, almost covering her furry, cat-like ears. She wore a violet gown, that unlike Yang, covered her body without being too provocative. It was refreshing to see another modestly dressed woman, unlike Yang, Nora, and Neon, even if this one was a Faunus.

Weiss' eyes widened as she watched Yang practically fall on this 'Blake' woman, peppering her face with kisses. The Faunus tried pushing her off as Weiss' cheeks turned almost as red as Yang's. She turned head away, trying to ignore the spectacle. "W-wait, I thought she was in a relationship with that Neon girl. What is she doing with that woman?"

"Oh, Yang's dating both of them. Er, when Blake isn't with Sun, at least," explained Jaune.

"Wait, so Yang's cheating on Neon?"

"No!" Ruby was quick to come to her friends' defenses again, it seemed. "Yang would never do that! She's just... It's an open relationship. Blake and Sun are dating, but he's okay with her being with Yang some nights, and Yang and Neon are dating, but Neon is okay with sharing too. So they all know, and no one gets hurt."

Weiss glanced her eyes back at Yang and Blake, immediately regretting it as her cheeks turned burned again from the sight of Yang kissing and embracing the unamused Faunus. To make matters more disturbing the other Faunus, Neon Katt, practically leaped onto the pile, joining the two. They became a writhing mass of giggles and cat noises as the other patrons of the speakeasy cheered and egged the three on.

She stared for a moment longer, before turning away and squeezing her cool glass of ginger ale. Her cheeks were on fire at this point as she tried to forget what she had just seen. "Insane. You people are utterly, utterly insane," shuddered the disguised princess. _Multiple partners?! How is... Why would... That's madness!_ Weiss could hardly imagine giving her heart to one man, let alone a man and a woman! The commoners of Beacon were just... just... insane!

"Alright, alright, break it up, girls. Leave that stuff for the stage or the bedroom," a voice joked, clapping his hand. Weiss glanced again at the pile, thankful to see the three being broken up. Flynt Coal pulled Neon onto her feet, followed by Blake and finally the grinning, scarlet-faced Yang. She saw the young man exchange some words with the girls privately, before Yang began to shuffle back to the table, the dark-haired Faunus following.

"Hey, Blake," Ruby greeted, followed by a similar greeting from Jaune.

"Ruby, Jaune." Blake didn't mince words, simply nodding at two as she sat down. Her golden eyes fell on Weiss though, narrowing silently at the stranger. She didn't ask who Weiss was, merely awaiting an answer as her stare came dangerously close to resembling a glare.

"Blake, meet... What did you say your name was again?"

"I never told you my name."

"Oh. Right. Any reason for that?" Yang wondered, tilting her head and resting a hand on her hip.

"No reason. I just don't feel like telling any of you," she lied. Judging by their stares, neither girl seemed to believe that there was 'no reason.' The Faunus seemed especially distrustful of Weiss, a fact that made the azure-eyed woman rather nervous. _Remember what father has always said. Don't show weakness. Confidence. Poise. Strength._ Weiss shot a glare right back at the Faunus, daring her to speak out against her. Blake looked ready to accept that dare, when a familiar presence walked towards them.

"How are all you cats doin'?" Flynt Coal grinned as he walked towards the group, placing a hand on Weiss' shoulder as he met her glare with a smug smirk. "You behavin', Snowflake?"

"Psh. Snowflake..."

Weiss ignored Yang's giggling to focus her fury towards the young man. "Everything is perfectly fine, Mr. Coal. I don't need you hovering over me to ensure I don't cause any problems. I am behaving perfectly reasonably."

"Ya mean besides not telling us your name?" the blonde slurred. "Yeah. So refined. The refindiest."

"Ooh! A secret?! Hmmm..." Neon practically slid to Flynt's side, gazing and analyzing Weiss from over the man's shoulder. "You look like a Cherry to me! How am I doing?! Hot or flaming hot?!"

Unlike his excitable partner, Flynt made no outburst. "Keeping secrets, Snowflake?" His dark eyes met hers, his smile fading away for a moment, only to return with all its' arrogance in tow. "That's not a problem, far as I'm concerned. Don't matter who you are, long as you pay for your drinks and don't start anything."

"Awww, Flynt! That's boring!" whined the Faunus beside him.

As for Weiss, she was mildly surprised by how reasonable the criminal was, but did her best to hide it. She merely continued to glare at Flynt, but giving him a subtle nod to show she acknowledge his manners. The young man tipped his hat to her in response. "Folks come to speakeasies for only two things. To celebrate who they are, or to forget. If you don't want to tell anyone your name, that's all Jake to me."

Weiss nodded her head again, only to blink in confusion at the last few words. "Wait, who is Jake?"

Flynt's smirk only seemed to widened as he seemed amused by her question. The others at the table wore similar expressions, with varying levels of confusion laced in among them."Uh... It means everything is fine," Jaune explained. "Y'know, like... Everything is Jake?"

"That statement makes no sense." _What is wrong with the way poor people talk? Do they just spout out nonsense?!_ she thought.

"Forget about it, Snowflake," chuckled Flynt. "Ain't nothin' to worry about."

Weiss rolled her eyes at the enjoyment the fedora-wearing man seemed to have at her expense, before her eyes caught something. Her eyes widened as she spot the clock on one of the walls to her side, showing the late hour of the night. "I-is that clock accurate?!"

"Better be. Why?" Flynt's hand fell to his side as Weiss rose up from her seat and pulled away. She quickly checked her coat, ensuring none of the locals robbed her of anything, before looking at the head of the speakeasy.

"Do you have a phone I can use? I need to make a call."

"Yeah, in the back. I can show you," he answered, motioning his head to one of the side doors of the establishment.

"Are you leaving already?" pouted Ruby.

"I need to There's somewhere I have to, and I can't be late," explained Weiss, though she was hesitant to tell even that much to the strange girl.

"Will we see you again?" inquired Jaune, leaning out of his seat towards her. Weiss wanted to roll her eyes as his behavior, already acting like a poor man's substitute to the hopeless suitors she had grown accustomed to. Only he was less finely dressed, and literally a poor man. Weiss just ignored him as she motioned for Flynt to lead her, quickly following after him through one of the doors.

"Pretty cold, Snowflake," he chuckled, as soon as the doors swung close behind them. They walked down the halls together; Weiss silently examining the empty halls and noting, to her surprise, how well kept it was. It almost, almost resembled a less furnished hall of her own home. Almost.

"I do not need the snark, Mr. Coal. I just need to make my phone call."

"Whatever you say, Snowflake." He led her down the empty halls, the sound of music slowly fading away as their footsteps echoed in time with the other. Finally Weiss found a booth made of wood and glass, where a phone hung from the inner wall. "All yours."

_A telephone booth..._ Of course Weiss had seen the contraption before, they were on nearly every street corner within the city, but to actually use one like some sort of, well, common person was an oddity, for sure. Her father would probably be outraged at the prospect of using a public one. Despite her hesitation, she glanced at the owner of Beacon and offered another nod. "Thank you, Mr. Coal." She was a lady, after all, and the manners her father bestowed upon her would not be ignored.

"Just call me Flynt. Mr. Coal was my father. I'm just Flynt, proud owner of Beacon. Least till the Big Cheese gets back," he remarked, brushing off her thanks.

_Big Cheese? Honestly, what is wrong with just saying employer? Do these people really need to make up such idiotic phrases?_ She rolled her eyes, not wishing to spare the young man another thought. She merely stepped inside and began to dial in the number of Ozpin's servant. The closed doors muffled all sound from outside, meaning she hadn't even noticed when Flynt had walked away.

As unfortunate as it would be, Weiss would no doubt see the young man again. She rolled her eyes at the thought, telling herself that the music and freedom Beacon offered her would be worth the minor annoyance.

* * *

Weiss returned home, throwing off the wig and hat and wrapping both up within her coat. She let out a breath as she entered her estate, exhausted from the night's events. It was draining, in all honesty, but still, she had never felt such a rush of energy. The sights and sounds had been almost breath taking, but to experience such life it almost took all of her energy out of her.

It almost reminded her of her fencing with her father and sister. Exhilarating in the moment, but it always left her fatigued. Fatigued and hungry for more...

_Oh well,_ she thought. _At the very least I can get some rest tomorrow night after my studies._

"Miss Schnee!"

"Huh? Velvet? What is it?" asked Weiss as she watched her maid run towards her.

"Your father was looking for you. He asked me to relay a message to you as soon as I found you," she explained, bowing her head as she had been instructed to when speaking to the Schnee family. "He wanted you to know that you will be attending a party with him, your sister, and your brother-in-law tomorrow night. It will be held here, at the Schnee Manor."

"I... Very well," she sighed. "Please ensure my clothes are clean and pressed for me tomorrow, Velvet."

"Of course, Miss Schnee."

Weiss walked past her servant, not bothering to say goodbye as she sought the comfort of her bed for the next few hours. She pushed all thoughts of Beacon and her strange patrons as she began to mentally check off all that she needed to do tomorrow.

* * *

Going from the chaotic and erratic, but free, world of Beacon to the prim and pristine, but restrained world of her old money life was nothing short of frustrating for Weiss Schnee. She stood by a table, glass cup in hand as she watched the band play a slow symphony. No one danced as it was not scheduled yet, instead most attendees found their own little pack and kept to themselves, mumbling and muttering the latest gossip and news.

In a strange way, it was actually similar to the world she had seen last night, but it lacked the atmosphere and life that made that night so... infectious. Instead, this party seemed almost like a shallow parody of it than anything else.

_I know for certain, the one I love... I'm through with fli- Darn it._ Weiss shook her head, frowning as she sipped at her water. She couldn't get that accursed song out of her head, and damn that criminal, her water hardly had the bubbly, sweet pop that Beacon's ginger ale had. She let out a quiet sigh as she motioned a servant over and handed the cup to them. _I need to focus. I need to just relax._

In an attempt to dissuade her mind from wandering, Weiss examined the ballroom of her estate. She had seen this place a million times before, or so it felt. It was a beautifully crafted, gorgeous room, with a ceiling that stretched over a story high, with art from some of the most influential artists hanging from both the walls and decorating the ceiling. Yet despite that, her disgust with the place grew with every visit.

She despised the artificial smiles and phony joy that seemed to pollute every attendant of the party. She hated the band that played the same songs at every celebration, at her father's request. She hated the room as it was almost the physical embodiment of the golden cage her father kept her in. Part of Weiss wondered if she should have been more forgiving towards it and her father, but ever since seeing Beacon and the lives the less fortunate lived, she knew that there were things her father kept from her. Insane things, such as open relationships, but also amazing things, like music and excitement.

In the past, Weiss would have spoken to her siblings for the duration of the party. Their conversations were droll, unexciting, and little more than gossip, but at least she trusted her siblings more than the strangers she now spent most parties with. Sadly, her siblings were no longer available for her. Whitley had been sent to a private school almost a year ago to learn how to become a proper heir to the Schnee Steel Industry, and Winter had been wrapped and gifted to Police Chief Ironwood.

She saw the two at their table, mingling with the wealthy and powerful. James would no doubt attempt to gather support for the Vale police force, while Winter simply nodded and smiled.

In a way, her sister was lucky. James Ironwood, for all his flaws, was a good man. Weiss had never seen him disrespect Winter, he had never disrespected her, and Weiss had even heard him ask Winter for her hand before he asked their father for it. Perhaps, James truly did love Winter. All the more tragic that she did not return her feelings...

Sadly, her moment of quiet contemplation died as her father's voice called out to her. "Weiss! Come here, come here. I want you to meet someone." Weiss had to fight off the immediate sense of dread she experienced whenever her father said those words. Just like the last four times, there was a man standing beside her father. The Head of the Schnee family motioned his daughter over with a wave of his hand, and she had no chance but to obey.

"Greetings, father." She bowed, curtsying as she was taught to.

"Weiss, I'd like you to meet Doctor Watts. He was hoping to speak to you."

_Translation: I was hoping you would talk to him and consider marrying him after the first date._ "Hello there, Doctor. It is a pleasure to meet you," she lied, placing her hands over one another on her stomach. She did not need to spare more than a glance at the man before she knew he would be yet another failed bachelor.

This man seemed practically twice her age, with his hair already thinning and turning grey. He certainly appeared to be knowledgeable, his posture firm and poised, and his garb was formal, yet stylish. The coat he wore was adorned with a gold trim, outlining the ebony attire quite well. Of course, being a gentleman was more than just what one wore and how one stood. The way he stared at her chest and legs proved just what kind of man he was.

"Yes, hello there, Miss Schnee. I have heard a lot about you," the doctor noted, his eyes finally travelling down to the rest of her body. Weiss fought off the feeling of repulsion, forcing the smile on her face. It felt like it would rip your skin in two, despite how small and insincere it was. "Would you like to honor me with a dance?"

"But of course," she accepted. Her father gave her a smile as he watched the older man take her away. She felt the older man's fingers wrap around her own as she was pulled towards the dance floor, other couples already awaiting the beginning of the song.

The music played, and Weiss took her place as she was taught to. The couples around them began to waltz as she and the doctor placed their hands on one another. Weiss placed her gloved hands on his shoulder, and another hand in lock with his. Watts' hand felt clammy and stone-like in her grip, despite their gloves keeping their skin from even touching. To her shock and outrage, he placed his other hand on her lower back, just about her posterior.

"Quite forward, aren't you, Doctor?" she growled, tearing her hand from his shoulder and pulling his hand higher up her back. "Or do you simply not know how to waltz?" She made no attempt to hide the venom in her voice. The doctor seemed to scowl at her touch, but said nothing about it.

"I am properly trained, I assure you, Miss Schnee. I simply do not see a reason in following such droll edict." Weiss fought the urge to roll her eyes as she allowed the man to lead them in their dance, a symphony of string music following their every step. "Hm." His eyes fell down once more, examining the way her modest, white dress hugged her body. "Do you always wear so much white?"

"It is a matter of personal pride. I was born in the city of Atlas, where it is common for the higher class to wear monochrome colors. That, and I rather like the color white," she explained, hiding her anger with practiced elegance. "In the city of Atlas, your clothes would be rather dated in comparison," she added, drawing another scowl from the doctor's face.

"Did your father teach you to speak with such impudence?"

"Only to those that have not garnered my respect, good doctor."

The two of them had paused, and pulled away from one another as they were meant to. Their hands were the only things that linked them together, but Weiss already wished she was miles away from the cretin. "Hm. Once we are wed, we'll have to do something about that arrogance of yours, Miss Schnee." He lifted one of his arms, and thus one of her own, and used her own limbs to capture her and bring her closer to him. She would have called it a cunning move if it wasn't a scripted part of the dance...

"For a doctor, you seem to jump to conclusions rather quickly. Surely you know that this dance will be the extent of our interactions." Her voice was graceful and elegant, but they carried no less of a chill. Her azure eyes glared at him as he freed her from his prison and the two danced again.

"Beauty is appreciated far more than wit, Miss Schnee. Perhaps if you realized this, your father wouldn't be so desperate towards finding you a suitable husband." The two spun in one another's arms again, as Weiss prayed for the end of this torture.

"Perhaps if father picked more eligible bachelors, I would not have to leave behind so many dented egos."

"And what, is your little mind, is an eligible bachelor? Some sort of backwards-thinking miscreant?" he glared at her, meeting her venom with his own. The sight of his cracking facade only brought a small smile to Weiss' face. She had made a promise long ago to her father that she would give his chosen suitors a chance. Once this dance was over, Watts would be nothing more than yet another reject.

"I prefer a man with artistic talents, for one thing, rather than ones in medicine. Though intelligence is never undesirable, unless, of course, that intelligence comes with a lack of manners." Watts' squeezed Weiss' hand, attempting to dissuade her from further speaking. The anger in her eyes only goaded her onward. "Secondly, a man who can keep up with me and all that I do, and will continue to do when married to him. I desire a man who can challenge me just as well as he can work beside me. A man that will push me forward, rather than hold me back."

"Hrm. I see," he growled, squeezing her hand even tighter. It stung, and she could feel the twisting pain travel up her arm, but she did not hold back.

"Finally, and perhaps most importantly, a man who actually cares for me health, both emotional, physical, and mental. A trait you seem to sorely lack," she mocked, glancing at his hand. "Oh, and an appreciation of Atlas' culture would also be welcomed." She could hear the song begin to come to an end and she did not even wait for the final note. She pulled away from the repugnant man, rubbing her sore, blistering hand with her other. "Goodbye, Doctor Watts. I doubt I will see you again."

"Hmph." His eyes were a haughty glare, his brow furrowed as he struggled to properly communicate his anger. "Your father did not much what kind of doctor I am. I am a psychiatrist, Miss Schnee, and it is my expert opinion that you are a victim of female hysteria. I will suggest to your father you should be in thrown in an asylum until that tongue of yours is properly cut."

"This tongue will not be cut, not by you, nor by any man my father sends," she hissed, before turning away and taking her leave. The audience began to applaud the band's performance, but Weiss offered nothing to them. She needed release from this place, from the walls of gold and silver that surrounded her... She brushed past her father, not offering him a single word as she found Velvet picking up an empty dish.

"Velvet, tell father and Winter that I am not feeling well. I am going to my room for the duration of the night."

"Y-yes, Miss Schnee! Would you like me to bring dinner to your room or-"

Weiss did not try to listen beyond that, already racing back to the safe confines of her room. She needed to get out of here. Dealing with that obnoxious, old bastard only made her desire stronger. She did not need this place, these walls of wealth, or these supposedly refined men and women. She needed to escape.

She needed Beacon.

* * *

It was not hard to escape her home. She merely had to tell Velvet she was sick and lock the door to her room. She had hidden away from parties before in her youth with such a tactic. As long as she did not use it too often, as she did when she was younger, her father would be none the wiser. After that, she threw off her gown and replaced it with her Beacon attire.

Her dress, her coat, her hat, and most importantly, the raven-haired wig which helped hide her identity. After that, she made a private call to Ozpin's servant, Peter Port, asking him to meet her down the street of her home. He arrived in a timely fashion and drove her off to her salvation.

That led her here, back to Beacon, where once more her shackles fell and she was free...

It was almost exactly how she left it, if that could be believed. Men and women, both human and Faunus, danced to the wild orchestra that played for them. The music was loud, booming, and it made her very bones quake and tremble as she walked down the steps. She took it in, breathing the life into her as she sought for a place to sit.

"Well, well, well. Look who's back already. Miss us that much, did ya, Snowflake?"

_And there is one of the minor annoyances._ "Mr. Coal. Do you ever tire of speaking with such arrogance?" she asked, walking towards the man. To her surprise, he stood where Ren had stood, manning the bar with an apron on his chest.

"Do you, Miss Kettle?" he joked, placing a cup in front of her. "Ginger ale again?"

"Actually asking me this time instead of robbing me? It seems you can be taught," she muttered, sitting in front of the man. "Where is the man from yesterday? The one with pink hair?"

"He doesn't work Sundays," Flynt answered, pointing behind the young woman. She followed his finger to the spinning couple of Nora and Ren. Unlike her family's ballroom, here it seemed women were free to lead the dance. The poor Oriental fellow seemed to struggle with keeping up with his partner, who was... attempting to dance?

"What on earth is she doing?" Weiss wondered, raising her brow as Nora flailed her arms over her head.

"Looks like the Charleston to me." Weiss turned her head to stare at bartender, silently asking him how many made up words he knew. "Seriously, you don't know the Charleston? What kind of rock have you been hiding under, Snowflake?"

"I..." She looked away from his dark gaze as he sipped her ginger ale, enjoying the tiny pop it held. "I simply do not dance a lot," she lied.

"Really?" he asked, grinning at her. "That surprising. Never met a music lover that didn't like to dance at all," he commented. "Least not one as mysterious as you."

"Are you implying something?" she growled, meeting his smirk with an icy scowl.

"Hm. No, guess not. Katt's gonna be on stage in a bit. Enjoy your drink, Snowflake. First one's on the house for all regulars," he chuckled, picking up a white rag and walking away.

"Hm. I'm sure," she muttered, rolling her eyes.

She took another sip of her ginger ale, before glancing at the people dancing once more. Ren and Nora were doing... some sort of weird walk in the middle of the dance floor. The cat Faunus, Blake, danced with another Faunus, a boy with an unruly bush of golden hair, with an equally golden tail swinging behind him. Compared to Nora's sporadic convulsions, their dance was for more tame. There was even a smile on the cat's face, to Weiss' surprise. She saw Yang mingling with both boys and girls, dancing with anyone within her reach. The dancers around her seemed perfectly fine with her grabbing any of them and shimming about, before she broke off from them and danced with another.

Finally, there was Jaune and Ruby, who she was pleased to say had yet to notice her. _Good._ Rather than partake in the dance, they sat at their own table, laughing and talking with one another. The blonde dunce must have said something funny, because Ruby practically fell out of her seat with her fits of laughter.

Beacon was a place of freedom and life, and Weiss couldn't have imagined a better picture to emphasize that. The way the common folk danced reminded her of simpler times, of easier times. She remembered the ballroom of her home, not filled to the brim with strangers, but with family and friends. She remembered her mother, sister, and father picking her up and dancing the waltz with her. She remembered herself, as a child, picking up her baby brother and practicing the waltz with him until he cried.

She remembered when she used to smile at her father, and mean it. She remembered when her mother was more than just a memory and a photo...

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls..."

Weiss nearly jumped in her seat as the sound of someone's voice echoed through the speakeasy. She must have been lost in thought for longer than she realized, because 'a bit' had pasted by in an instant. All the patrons of Beacon looked up to the stage to see Coco Adel at the mic, grinning. Her body wore another dress, splendid in design, but still far too risque for Weiss' comfort.

"It's time for that moment you've all been waiting for, the one, the only, Miss Katt!" she declared, to the cheers and screams of many. She threw her hands in the air and waved goodbye as she stepped off the stage and the curtains fell. Almost immediately, cheery, joyful music flowed from the stage as a band of several men and women stood behind Neon. Weiss could spot yesterday's performers in the band, each with instruments in hand. Neon grinned at the crowd, picking up her mic and basking in the light as the song began to play.

The speakeasy's lights dimmed, though they were nowhere near as dark as before. No one would have any problem dancing in this light as Neon began to shake her hips in time with the music. Weiss noticed three finely dressed men, all wearing clothing similar to what the previous male musicians had worn before. Each man had hair of some striking, unnatural color, matching the accent colors of their attire.

The man on the left had long, scarlet locks more befitting a woman, honestly. The man in the center had skin even darker than Flynt's, with emerald hair, short and almost edgy atop his head. He was far too burly for her tastes. Finally, the man on the right had tanned skin with bright, sapphire locks atop his head. He grinned at the audience with a gleam in his teeth, and Weiss had to admit, he was rather handsome.

Still, men, even ones has handsome as him, was not what Weiss was looking for. She sought to hear music, to hear jazz, and that is what she was given. The men snapped their fingers together, in perfect sync, as they surrounded a second microphone. Neon beamed at the audience with a catty grin on her face as she began to sing.

"Angels watching over me, with smiles upon their face. Cause' I have made it through this far, in an unforgiving place." Neon began to walk aronud the stage, sashaying her hips shamelessly as she smile. "It feels sometimes this hills to steep for a girl like me to climb, but I must knock those thoughts right down, I'll do it in my own time..."

"I don't care..."

"Care, care," echoed the three boys.

"I'm halfway there."

"Nowhere!"

"On a road that leads me straight... to who knows where!"

Weiss felt the music hit her hard as all four of the singers began to move with the music. Neon was the main attraction, but the other three boys sang and danced around her with elegance and practiced skill. The song seemed to place her hands on Weiss' shoulders, slowly waving her left and right as the speakeasy came to life once more. She closed her eyes as she gave her shoulders to the music, feeling them move in tune with the gorgeous symphony...

"I'll tell you what!"

"I'll tell you what!"

"What I have found!"

"What I have found!"

"That I'm no fool!"

"I'm no fool!"

"I'm just upside down."

"Just upside down!"

"Ain't got no cares!"

"She ain't got no cares!"

"I ain't got no rules!"

"Ain't got no rules!"

"I think I like... living upside down!"

"Living upside down!"

"You seem to know plenty about dancing to me." Weiss' eyes shot open, finding Flynt Coal standing in front of her with a smug, arrogant smirk on his face. Weiss instantly glared at him, annoyed with his continued arrogance and unwanted attention. "Calm down, Snowflake. Just observin'," he chuckled, holding out his hands. "What? You don't want to dance with everyone else?"

"Are you always so annoying?"

"Only to folks I like being annoying to," he countered. "It's your own fault, really. You're easy to annoy."

"Or perhaps you are just a master of the art."

"Heh. Possible. Wouldn't be the first skill I've mastered."

"Did you want something?" hissed Weiss. "Or are you just trying to get me to stop coming here? Because if I have to deal with you interrogating me every time I come here, I-" She fell silent as Flynt held out his hand to her, stretching it out as if asking for a handshake.

"Wanna dance?"

"Excuse me...?"

"Dance. Y'know." He motioned to the festivities behind them. "Dance?"

"I know what dancing is, you dolt! I'm asking, why should I dance with you?" she groaned, stepping off her seat.

"Well, you can either try to loosen up and have some fun, or you can stay here, and dance with the stool." He crossed his arms as she stared him down, scowling at his arrogance. "Your pick."

Weiss' azure eyes glanced downwards, staring at the excited masses. Her gaze fell even farther down, staring at her foot, which tapped along to the music without her even knowing it. Her icy stare turned back towards Flynt, before she let out a sigh. "Fine, fine. Very well. Lead the way, Mister Coal." She extended her hand, which had long healed from Watts' crushing grip. Her voice hid her hesitation well. It wasn't that she was scared of trying to dance like the poor did. It was just... a challenge.

"Okay, two things. One: I told you, call me Flynt. Two: Dancing to music like this ain't about leading. It's about enjoying." His hand caught hers and suddenly she was practically thrown into the sea of people.

"Ahh!" She stumbled in, nearly falling, only to be caught by Flynt's hand again. She hung from his limb like a rope off a cliff as her feet struggled to find their place. _Is he insane?! There's no form to this! Doesn't he know how to- AHH!_ He pulled her into his arms and suddenly Weiss was spinning, twirling out of his hands and nearly falling again, only to be caught once more.

"Watching people scurry by, rushing to and fro! Oh, this world is such a crazy place... It's all about the go, go, go! Sometimes life can taste so sweet when you slow it down. You start to see the world a little differently, when you turn it upside down!"

"You're too rigid. I told you, loosen up, Snowflake!" Flynt laughed, grabbing Weiss' arms and making her move them back and forth.

"Stop it! Stop it! You're enjoying this, aren't you?!" she growled, trying to smack his hands away, only to be spun around again. She came to a dizzying stop as Flynt danced in front of her. "What are you...?"

"Try kicking up your feet," he suggested, motioning downward. Weiss followed his gaze, before looking at the other girls in the crowd. Some of them, like Yang, grabbed their partner and swung them around, hopping up and down as the music possessed them. Others, like Blake, seemed content to be held, simply swaying in time with the beat. "Don't look at what other people are doing. You don't even got to listen to me. Just go with the flow. Improvise," he laughed.

_Improvise?_ Weiss hopped in place, bending her legs a bit to make sure her skirt didn't show too much skin.

"There you go!"

Weiss didn't even realize the small smile that formed on her lips as she skipped in place, holding her hands to her side and slowly bringing them down. Flynt nodded in approval, only for his eyes to widen as Weiss grabbed his shoulders.

_Let's see how you like it!_ she thought, before she spun the dark-skinned man around. He twirled in place, nearly falling over as his shades hung from a single ear. Before he had time to collect himself, Weiss grabbed his arms this time and began to swing him side to side. She almost worried he'd fall over, but to her luck he seemed to fall into beat with her, mirroring her dance.

"I don't care! I'm halfway there! And I'm just soaking up the magic in the air... I'll tell you what, what I have found!"

"What I have found!"

"That I'm no fool! I'm just upside down."

"We're just upside down!"

"Ain't got no cares, I ain't got no rules, I think I li-i-ike living upside down!"

"Living upside down!"

Weiss nearly fell over twice that night. Flynt nearly fell over three times, once because Weiss just went ahead and tripped him. Neither seemed to care as they danced. Weiss wasn't even sure what they were doing. She took what people did around her and did her own version, and when that failed, she just made it up. Her feels clicked and tapped against the floor as Flynt kept up with her, dancing with a bit more refinery, but still just as chaotic and wild as she was.

* * *

"-and just the most enraging tongue I have ever seen in all my days. I suggest you lock that girl of yours up and-"

"That's enough, Doctor. Leave," Whittaker Schnee sighed, waving his hand at the man as though he were a child. "Your services are no longer needed. Shoo." Without another word, Whittaker walked away from the stunned fool. He walked towards the rabbit Faunus that served his youngest daughter, and called her to attention. "Miss Scarlatina, where is my daughter? I have not seen her since the dance she shared with Doctor Watts."

"Oh... Miss Schnee said she was not feeling well. She is currently in her room, at the moment."

"Ah. I see. Be a dear and bring her something to eat. Last thing I need is her ruining the diet I made for her."

"Yes, sir. Right away, sir."

**END**


	4. Someone to Watch Over Me

**Someone to Watch Over Me**

Weiss could not believe how tired she felt. She couldn't believe how her heart still raced, or how her body ached, or how sweaty she was after just a few songs. She couldn't believe she had danced to the songs to begin with! They weren't the slow melodies that played in her family's ballroom. The songs were fast paced and dancing unpracticed, spontaneous!

The parties at her estate never left her like this. Exhausted, yet desiring more of the same. She rubbed the cool glass of ginger ale against her warm forehead, sighing as she tried to calm herself down. The ringing harmony of the band didn't help. Her foot still tapped against the ground, racing to meet the chaotic symphony of the song. Her head rested on her open hand, her index finger gently bouncing against her cheek as she hummed to the tune.

The dance had left her short of breath and exhausted, but her partner hardly seemed winded. Flynt Coal stayed on the dance floor, dancing with Yang, their hands locked and feet kicking. The blonde was already intoxicated for the night, scarlet-faced and hazy, and she could hardly match with Flynt's rhythm. She was completely disconnected to the beat, unlike Weiss had been.

"You okay, Snowflake?" The disguised woman frowned as the seat beside her screeched against the floor, and someone familiar sat themselves at her table, beside her. Neon Katt leaned forward, resting her arms on the table, and resting her head on them, like a pillow. "Flynt sure is the bee's knees, ain't he?" Her smile was, for lack of a better word, catty. Her tail swung over her head, swaying to and fro, nearly hitting Weiss once or twice. "You were checking him out just now, weren't you, Snowflake?"

"I assure you, I have no idea what you're talking about," muttered Weiss. "Any interest I have to Mr- Flynt's way is strictly for his musical talent. He is a talented musician, and an adequate dancer."

"Oh? Is that why you were dancing with him for nearly an hour? Cause he's so adequate?" she laughed. Weiss rolled her eyes as she continued. "Y'know, I'd say Flynt's the real cat's meow," she snickered.

_Was that meant to be some kind of joke?_

"What do you want, Miss Katt? I assure you, I am behaving myself, so if you are here so you can report me to Flynt then-"

"I'm here of my volition, Snowflake," remarked the Faunus. Weiss was surprised that the singer even knew the meaning of the word, but said nothing as Neon continued. "I'm just making sure you enjoyed dancing with my Flynt. Most girls do."

"What are you insinuating?" Weiss inquired, her eyes narrowing as she glared at the singer. "Wait, what do you mean 'most girls?'"

"Flynt dances with all the lady regulars. Ruby, Blake, Coco," she listed. "He's pretty popular with dames, if you catch my drift." Her tone was teasing, and her eyes no doubt picked on the growing frown on Weiss' face.

It wasn't that she was jealous of any of those girls. It was that she thought she had acquired a private tutor in Flynt, not some kind of... of... public transport. "I do not care," she remarked, before pouring her ginger ale down her throat. "Why are you telling me this?" she huffed.

"Just cause." Neon let out a low purr, moaning as she stretched out her body, rolling her head from side to side as her body stretched. She let out a small, almost sensual moan as Weiss tried her best to ignore the Faunus. "Don't take it personally, honey. Music and dancing helps keep his mind off his troubles." Her voice seemed to drift, and her eyes gazed towards the dancers in the center of Beacon. Weiss followed them, though there was an icy layer of contempt as she glared at the man she had danced with.

"And what troubles are that? Running from the local authorities? Hiring gangsters and crooks? Running an illegal business?" she wondered, the venom and cold chill clear in her voice.

"Hey, do not act like you're Miss High-And-Mighty here!" growled Neon, and it was the first time Weiss had ever seen the singer so angry. Her jade eyes turned into a violent glare as she straightened up in her seat, her hand clamping down on Weiss' arm. "For your information, Snowflake." Her words were slow, deliberate as the other girl stared with wide, shocked eyes.

"Flynt's a good man! A lot of people here are. We're not like the Mafia or the mobsters that run around robbing banks. People come here to have a good time and be happy, and that ain't a crime! Beacon doesn't hire crooks. The Big Cheese makes sure of that!" Neon released the girl's arm and pointed into the crowd of dancers, specifically at the ginger-haired waitress and her dance partner.

"Ren and Nora were homeless before the Boss brought them on here. Coco used to be a fashion model till she was kicked out cause she didn't sleep with her boss! Yatsuhashi couldn't even get work cause he was born out of the States! He came here for his slice of the American Dream, and nobody hired him cause his eyes were shaped differently! And Flynt..." The performer paused, and her arm fell limp to her side as she bit her lower lip. Weiss could see the confusion and hesitation in her eyes, but Neon's gaze quickly returned to Weiss.

"Even with everyone working together, Beacon's still understaffed. The Boss doesn't hire bad eggs, and so neither does Flynt." She muttered the words, as if she was unsure if Weiss should even be hearing this. Neon gave a sideways glance to the shorter girl, before crossing her arms. "My point is, he's not a criminal. He's a business man. The business just so happens to be illegal."

_I've seen plenty of business men in my life. None of them are quite like Flynt,_ the disguised princess thought, glancing to the man in question. She watched the way he moved, how his legs kicked up off the ground and how his arms flowed like the currents of a wave. Flynt was the only one out in the crowd that almost made dancing to these wild, sporadic tunes seem like an art, instead of random, spontaneous flailing.

"Hm." Weiss' glass dropped onto the wooden table with an audible 'thunk.' Neon watched with curious eyes as the girl fixed her hat and adorned her long coat. "I am going to be taking my leave now. I do not wish to return home as late as I did previously," she explained, with refined manner and grace, the kind one would expect from her. Which didn't really apply to the singer, as Miss Katt had no idea who she was.

Regardless, Neon's smile returned and she waved her tail goodbye. "Bye, bye, Snowflake. Don't be a stranger!"

_Oh, I doubt I could be stranger than you,_ thought the girl. She made her way to the staircase, only to stop as she heard the almost muffled footsteps of someone following her. She had placed a foot on the first step as she turned her head to look at who had been following her. If it was that Arc fool asking for a chance to dance with her again...

"Leaving so soon, Snowflake?"

"Mr. Coal." There was no affection in Weiss' voice. While Neon may protest the idea, Flynt was still a criminal by society's rules and laws. Weiss couldn't forget that. "May I help you?"

"I was just wondering if you were really about to leave without saying goodbye?" His smirk betrayed his 'hurt' tone. He was mocking her, a feat that did not go unnoticed by the girl.

"You seem preoccupied. I'd hate to intrude on your quality time with intoxicated women. I imagine they make up the bulk of your company," she remarked, her azure eyes sharpening. He just chuckled, meeting her icy tone with his trademark arrogance. He wasn't intimidated by her, but Weiss wasn't sure if that was due to bravery, ignorance, or stupidity.

"Right," he scoffed. "Got to get home before midnight, Cinderella?" Weiss' brow up, confused by the statement. "Cinderella's this character from a book. She-"

"I know who Cinderella is. How do you?" Weiss' arms crossed over one another as she looked over the young man. It wasn't that she assumed everyone below her class was stupid, she wasn't Watts, but that didn't mean she expected a common criminal to be well read in any obscure subject, least of all fairy tales.

"I read. There's this thing called a library, y'know." Flynt's smirk only seemed to widened as he noticed Weiss' surprise. "Man, what's with you? You always act so surprised by stuff."

"I... I have simply lived a sheltered life."

"Hm. Sounds like a boring one, to me." Weiss said nothing in retort, instead turning around to take her leave. "Hope you come back soon, Snowflake. Interesting girls make up the rest of my company."

* * *

Weiss returned to her home as silently as she could, wrapping her hat and wig within the confines of her coat, before entering through the front door. By now her father's guests, as well as her own parent, would be asleep at this point. She walked through the doors of the large, ornate doors of her home and began creeping up the stairway to the second floor, only for her blood to run cold as someone called out to her.

"Miss Schnee?"

"V-Velvet? W-what are you doing up?!" Weiss stepped back as her servant walked out of the shadows, rubbing her eyes as she held back a yawn. The younger woman glanced behind her, cursing as her heel hung from the edge of the staircase.. The Faunus was dressed in her pajamas, which was not an uncommon sight. Several Faunus servants slept either in the home of the Schnee family, or around it, in smaller homes. Velvet, having worked for her family for years, had her own room at the estate.

"I..." Velvet seemed hesitant to answer, as if unsure what to say. Weiss had never seen her servant act in such an unsure manner. The Faunus girl's hands gently squeezed and tugged on the hem of her apron as she tried to form the words. "W-where were you, Miss Schnee?"

"I was... taking a walk. I wasn't feeling well, as you know, so I decided to get some fresh air," she lied, avoiding her hazel stare.

"I was in your room over an hour ago," countered the rabbit. "Your father requested I check on you, and I found your bed untouched, and you nowhere in sight." Weiss felt her heart skip a beat as her hands dug into her folded up coat. She opened her mouth to speak, but she couldn't find the words. She wanted to demand Velvet tell no one about this, but the young Schnee knew how unlikely that was. Velvet was her father's employee first, and her servant second. "I haven't informed your father yet."

_What?!_ "Y-you haven't?" blinked Weiss.

"I told your father you were attempting to sleep off a stomach ache and did not wish to be disturbed."

"You did what?" Weiss was left stunned for a moment, before she asked the biggest question on her mind. "Why would you do that, Velvet?"

The maid seemed ashamed for a moment, before she motioned to her large, furry ears. The rabbit ears twitched and swayed for a moment as she explained, "I am not blind, Miss Schnee, and I'm certainly not deaf. I heard what that man said to you. What most of the men your father brings to you say. I can understand wanting to be away from them, even from your own father... I just... I do worry about you, Miss."

Weiss didn't know what to say. She had never stopped to think that Velvet's ears actually gifted her with acute hearing. She had never thought that the girl could actually hear Weiss and her woes. _Wait, if she's always had good hearing then..._ Memories of her childhood bubbled to the surface of Weiss' mind. She saw herself, sobbing into a pillow, her father's harsh words echoing through her head. How many nights had Velvet heard her crying? Weiss dared not ask.

"You... you aren't going to tell my father?"

"I am not," the maid admitted. "Not unless I fear your safety is in danger. It is my job to care for you, Miss Schnee..." There was small, sly smile that decorated her lips. "Honestly, if I may be so bold, I'm surprised you didn't try running away from home sooner."

"I'm not running away from home!" Weiss bit her lower lip, angry at her own outburst. She took a deep breath and held it, silently counting the seconds as the air swirled within her lungs. "Velvet," she sighed, looking at the confused woman. "Would you please follow me into my room so we can discuss this matter privately?"

"O-of course, Miss Schnee." Weiss motioned the older woman to follow her to her room. She opened the door and stepped inside the lavishly decorated room, closing the door behind her maid.

"Velvet, I..." The white-haired woman took a deep breath again and stood with practiced poise and grace. "I understand you have questions. I have my own. Before we discuss the matter though, I need your word that none of this will ever reach my father. Do you understand?"

"I do, Miss Schnee." Velvet almost seemed elated by the younger girl's words, as if she had been looking forward to this moment. "I am loyal to you, not your father."

"I see." Weiss' well-mannered posture broke for a moment as she gently placed her coat onto her study table. "Why is that, if you don't mind me asking? It's not that I don't appreciate your kindness and loyalty, but I simply don't understand it."

Velvet seemed to take the question into consideration. She pondered it as Weiss walked towards her bed and gracefully sat upon it. She motioned for Velvet to join her. The Faunus seemed hesitant, before obeying. "I have been with you for many years. Your father hired me to be your caretaker since you were young. I am simply fulfilling my duty in that role." She smiled, pride laced on her lips as her smile grew. "And I have seen you grown. You're not like your father. He lets his anger get away with him, and he hates what he doesn't understand. You..."

Weiss had never seen her maid like this. She had never thought of her as someone to trust. It was true, her father was harsher and more abrasive with his Faunus servants than human ones, but was she any different? She combed through her memories in the moment between Velvet's words. Memories of Weiss speaking to Faunus servants. She never insulted them, nor did she abuse them, but that didn't make her special. She simply treated them as their position deserved. They were the help. Not the enemy.

"You're not like your father or sister. You never have been, Miss Schnee."

"I see." Weiss didn't understand it. She didn't see what the Faunus saw, but she didn't voice her doubts. She refused to look a gift horse in the mouth, after all. Er... Not to compare Velvet to an animal one was meant to ride and train. "Well, now that we have that settled, you must want to know where I have been disappearing to, yes?"

"I would, but I would also understand if you do not wish to tell me... I simply wanted to inform you that I was on your side, Miss Schnee."

Weiss weighed the options in front of her. _What if I told her?_ It was a loaded question, there was no doubt there. Could she really trust Velvet not to inform her father of where she was? If she could trust her, it could make all of this so much easier... Velvet could give her an excuse whenever she needed one, offer some kind of way out of whatever party her father sentenced her to. Weiss bit into her lower lip again as one hand squeezed her other.

"Velvet, how much do you know about jazz...?"

* * *

The clash of blade echoed through the training room as snow fell from outside. The Schnee family estate was blanketed within the white veil, but the wealthy family did not care. The servants were the one tasked with clearing the snow out from the front yard. Weiss and her sister had their place inside, both garbed in white, protective equipment.

The suits covered their entire bodies, with special masks placed over their faces so that they could still see through the guard. Most of the suitors Weiss rejected were often surprised to find her fencing, and even more were surprised when she defeated them on the field.

Her sabre flew through the air like a bullet in Weiss' hands, and it came to the point where no teacher or suitor could truly match her abilities. The only one who could rival her skill was her own sister, Winter.

"Excellent form," complimented the older woman.

"I stepped too far forward."

"I know. I was simply trying to be complimentary." Winter chuckled, smirking with a arrogance and sisterly teasing. "Again. Strike my body, little sister." Weiss was shooting forward as soon as the last word was uttered. Her blade was parried by her sister's, and Winter countered with a riposte of her own. Weiss could feel the distinct prod of the blade against her armored body, electing a sigh as she nearly stumbled to the ground.

Weiss let out a low growl of frustration as she returned to her side of the field, her blade up and weapon steady as Winter spoke.

"If you were facing near anyone else, I am sure your skills would impress," mocked Winter. "But I was trained by father, and until you best me, you will simply have to settle for a bronze medal." Weiss knew her sister was goading her into a fury. She remembered one of Winter's advice when Weiss picked up her first sabre.

_'Anger is an excellent fuel, but it runs down the body, making it sloppy and predictable. Keep your wit as sharp as your blade, and your mind sharper still.'_

""Êtes-vous prêts?" inquired Weiss. _Are you ready?_

Winter stared at her sister's eyes, peeking through the mask to examine the azure gems. She was focused. Attentive. There was a fury in those eyes, but it was not an inferno. Like a fire within a blizzard, balanced and mastered, never going too far, never showing weakness. Winter grinned at the sight. "En garde."

"French is not my strong suit, how do I say don't go? No allez?" a voice wondered.

Both girls turned their head to see the doors opened and two women standing in the doorway. They were both red-heads, though with very different hues. The taller, more mature woman with pure, crimson hair was Pyrrha Nikos, famed daughter of the Nikos Family, a family known for their militant strength and grace. Despite being the first daughter in two generations, Pyrrha was born into a better position than Weiss was. Unlike her own father, Pyrrha's supported his daughter's choices. Pyrrha was an athlete, one of the best in America. She was going to attend the Olympics next year, if memory served Weiss correctly.

The scarlet-haired woman was graced with beauty and strength, and her slender body was framed in a gorgeous, yet practical, red sweater. Her lower half was adorned with a long skirt, and Weiss noticed the bronze-colored scarf that wrapped around her neck. She smiled at the two sisters, her emerald eyes sparkling with charisma and beauty.

Beside Pyrrha was... someone Weiss had never seen before. The woman had orange-haired that made Weiss' spine shiver. It resembled that oaf, Nora's, far too much for her liking. Beyond that similarity, the young woman bore little resemblance to the waitress. Her hair was significantly more curly, reaching to her chin, with jade-green eyes. She wore a grey blouse, with a vibrant, almost neon green long skirt. She was beaming as she waved at the two Schnee sisters.

"Pyrrha," Weiss greeted, pulling the protective mask from her head. She and her sister handed their masks and swords to a servant as Weiss walked off the mat, towards the smiling athlete. "So good to see you again. How are you?"

"Quite well, Weiss. I see you are still keeping your fencing skills sharp," the woman noted.

"Father's insistence, though I do enjoy the sport. I only wish my teacher was around more often." Weiss looked to her sister, smiling at her own attempt at teasing. Despite the smile on her face, though, Winter seemed deeply perturbed. "I-I was only speaking in jest, sister. I didn't mean to offend-"

"What are you doing here?" Winter's glare fell upon the stranger, who only bowed her head in respect.

"Mr. Ironwood, er... Father requested that I come here to spend time with you and my aunt, mother."

_Wait, did she say mother?!_ "W-Winter, what did she... Are you... When did you-?!"

Her sister quickly crushed her blathering panic, silencing her. "Adopted, Weiss," sighed the older woman. "James and I adopted her. I was going to tell you, but it... slipped my mind." Winter glared at the small, orange-haired girl. "Penny, this is Weiss, your... aunt."

"Salutations, aunt Weiss!" the girl beamed, curtsying.

_Aunt?_ All of Weiss' training, all of her educated poise, all of her manners, flew out the window when the young girl, just a little younger than herself, called her aunt. "I...Wha... You... Ah..."

"It seems I came at an inopportune time," observed the athlete, a nervous smile betraying her manners. "Perhaps I should go...?"

"No. Stay. You came to speak to Weiss, did you not?" Winter's glare flowed from her 'daughter,' and to Pyrhha. "Speak to her. I will discuss things with Penny." The white-haired woman snapped her fingers, ordering Penny to her side.

"Farewell, Aunt Weiss. I hope we can speak again soon!" Penny bowed her head again, before walking after Winter.

Weiss practically fell over as the two walked of the large room. She rubbed her head and sighed, feeling a hand fall upon her shoulder as she tried to collect her thoughts. Pyrrha stood by her side, a concerned expression in her eyes.

_How could Winter not tell me? I thought we were friends... We're sisters, she and I used to tell each other everything. Now she has a child and I don't even know about it? How long...? Does father know?!_

"Weiss? Are you okay?" Pyrhha gently squeezed the princess' shoulder, breaking her from her thoughts. "Please, is there anything I can do to help?"

"I'm fine." Weiss pulled away from the young woman and sighed. "I'm just surprised. Winter did not tell me about her... her daughter. It doesn't matter," she said, more for her sake than the other girl's. "What is it you wished to discuss, Pyrrha?"

"I merely came to inform you that my family is hosting a party in a week. I came to personally invite you to it."

_Oh._ "I see. I would be honored to attend your party, thank you, Pyrrha," nodded Weiss, bowing her head. _Another attempt from my father to gift me to some arrogant, old man._ "Is there anything else you wished to tell me?"

"No. My father did suggest I try to spend time with you, which I am not against, but if you are busy..."

Weiss and Pyrrha, despite appearances, were hardly friends. At least, Weiss never saw her as a close friend. She was simply an ally that her father pushed her towards. It made sense. Ally yourself with powerful figures and create a mutually beneficial relationship. Wasn't that what Winter did with Ironwood? Despite the gnawing feeling in the pit of her stomach, she told herself to take pride in the bond...

"I would love to, Miss Nikos." Weiss plastered a smile onto her face, before clapping her hands together. "Velvet, would you come in here, please?" As always, her obedient and loyal servant walked into the room, politely bowing to Pyrrha was she saw her.

"Greetings, Miss Nikos."

"Hello, Velvet." Pyrrha smiled at the Faunus, politely waving at her.

"Would you be so kind as to fetch some finger sandwiches for Miss Nikos and I? Then join us in the library for lunch?"

"As you wish, Miss Schnee." Velvet bowed her head, and raised it up once more. A gentle smile was on her face as Weiss thanked her. The two shared a stare for a moment, and Weiss found herself more comfortable around the Faunus than the red-haired athlete. There were no signs of any deep friendship or bond beyond employer and employee, but they both knew the truth.

Velvet did as she was asked and left the two young women behind, a joyful light in her eye.

* * *

"I heard there was a fire downtown. Officers said the establishment was selling liquor and an unfortunate accident sparked a fire. They never would have found it if that fire hadn't happened," commented Pyrrha.

"Hm. Unfortunate," commented Weiss. She took a small bite out of her sandwich, savoring the delicious taste.

Discussions between Pyrhha and Weiss were hardly substantial, and the young Schnee often wondered just how honest the talks they had were. Most of the time they simply exchanged what they heard on the radios or what new gossip had fallen into their lap. The library they sat in had a fireplace, fenced away from them with glass and steel, but the heat still flowed out and warmed their bodies.

The two each sat in comfortable, finely made chairs, the cushions softly holding their bodies. They continued to eat in silence as Pyrrha's eyes slowly turned to the elephant in the room. Weiss followed them and noticed the way the athlete stared at Velvet. At Weiss' request, the Faunus had sat down to join them, and despite the soft, cushioned seat, her discomfort was clear.

_She looks so out of place..._ Weiss and Pyrrha were both children of high society gentlemen, but Velvet was a maid. She was dressed as one, she carried herself one, and Weiss was beginning to regret her actions. She had merely wanted to reward Velvet for her loyalty and friendship, she did not mean to make her feel so out of place. Typically, Weiss and Pyrrha would have their hollow discussions with Velvet standing aside, holding a tray of sandwiches and drinks for the two. With Velvet sitting between them, the Faunus had placed the tray on a nearby table, where it sat.

And an overbearing silence filled the room as Pyrrha stared at Velvet like she was a poltergeist.

"Miss Scarlatina?" Pyrrha's words shattered the silence like a bullet through glass.

"Y-yes, Miss Nikos?" Velvet lifted her head, and watched as the strong, yet slender woman stood up from her seat. Weiss felt her breath catch in her throat.

_Oh no._ Weiss had never thought Pyrrha would share her father's belief that Faunus were below human... _Is she offended to sit beside one? What should I do?!_ Weiss grabbed onto the armrests of her chair, ready to stand in support of Velvet, only to stop as Pyrrha spoke again.

"Please, help yourself. You made them, you deserve to partake in them." The redhead presented the tray of snacks to the Faunus, leaving both her and Weiss stunned.

"T-thank you, but please, you do not need to serve me like this. It's unfitting, I-"

"Nonsense. I've known you for years and you have always been nothing short of kind, courteous, and welcoming to me. You deserve to feel the same."

"I-I am merely doing my job, Miss Nikos, but thank you."

"Please, call me Pyrrha. Weiss, would you like one?"

"Um... T-thank you, Pyrrha," nodded the young azure-eyed woman. She took a sandwich off of the silver tray and watched as Pyrrha returned to her seat. There was a small smile on the athlete's lips as she seemed to realize something about the two.

"If I may ask, Weiss, Miss Scarlatina has been serving your family for years. She has always been good to your family and your guests," she explained, motioning to herself. "But this is the first time I have ever seen you ask her to join us as an equal. Why?"

Why... That was a loaded question. Weiss' eyes fell to the carpet below their feet as she pondered the question. "It is as you said. Velvet has been loyal to my family for years. It is her first, and only job, but I suppose I feel like she deserves more than what my father gives." Her blue eyes rose up and looked into the chocolate-colored eyes of her Faunus... compatriot. "Velvet has become a friend of mine, no longer a mere servant. I appreciate her camaraderie and wish for her to know I do."

The look on Velvet's face seemed to practically explode with joy. She had never seemed so awestruck, so happy to hear the words, and she was not the only one. Pyrrha was beaming as she nodded her head in approval. "That's wonderful, Weiss. I must admit, I had always felt your father's treatment towards her and Faunus like her to be rather harsh. I'm overjoyed to see you treat Miss Scarlatina with such respect!"

"Oh. Well, I... T-thank you?" Weiss was at a lost at the reception, simply accepting the compliment as Velvet let out a small laugh.

* * *

That night, Weiss stared at her reflection and stared at the girl that looked back at her. By morning, she was Weiss Schnee, second child of the Schnee Family and as prim and proper as one would expect from her name. That was who looked back at her. Her eyes drifted downward at the wig and hat in her hands, staring at them. Her fingers traced the raven locks white trim of the two items, silently memorizing their individual textures. They were such simple items, yet their effect was almost magical.

_What was it that Flynt compared me to? Cinderella...?_ She scoffed at the idea, rolling her eyes, before she began to bun up her pure, white hair. Once her long hair was properly controlled, she placed the wig upon her head. It wasn't nearly as long as her real hair, but it did well enough to hide who she was. She stared at the woman looking back at her through the mirror.

_Snowflake..._ She was the same as Weiss Schnee. Same eyes, same cheeks, same skin, same lips, same voice... But the world saw her differently. She wasn't rich, she wasn't a princess, she was just a woman. She supposed she was just as beautiful as Weiss Schnee was. The thought made her chuckle. "Ready?" she asked herself. Her reflection almost seemed to smile back at her, but that would be mad.

Then again, this dual identity her life had taken on was equally insane.

There was a knock on the door. "Miss Schnee?"

"Come in, Velvet. Close the door behind you." She could hear her servant open the door, and the slight gasp she had when she saw the younger woman. "Miss Schnee, you look..."

"Odd, I imagine," sighed Weiss. She turned away from the mirror and looked at the Faunus. The brunette gaped as her eyes traveled up and down Weiss' body, admiring how the dress held her form, how the wig and hat hid her secret.

"You don't look... like you."

"I believe that's the idea, Velvet," she smiled.

"Please, be careful out there." Velvet stepped forward, and Weiss realized the fabric she had in her hand. She wrapped the blue scarf around Weiss' neck, tightening it to a comfortable state. "Stay warm, stay safe."

"I've already been there twice, Velvet. I will be fine," reminded the girl.

"I know, I know. But someone needs to tell you to be careful, Miss Schnee."

"Weiss."

"I'm sorry...?"

"You know me better than my own brother does. You've been there for me more than my own father. You act like more of a sister to me than even Winter." Weiss didn't look Velvet in the eyes. She walked past the girl, their shoulders brushing against the other for a moment. "I just want you to know, that when we are alone, you may call me Weiss."

"As... as you wish, Weiss."

The woman nodded, taking off her hat and wig and hiding them within her coat. She stood there for a moment longer, wondering what else there was to say to the Faunus. When nothing came out, either out of a lack of things to say or fear, she silently bid her farewell and left.

There was a small smile on Velvet's face as she heard the footsteps steadily fade away. She couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and joy for her friend. "Be safe, Weiss."

**END**

 

 


	5. So You Wanna Be a Boxer?

**So You Wanna Be a Boxer?**

"Signal Gym." Jaune looked up from the paper, then back down, before comparing the two again. The picture from the newspaper ad was of a pristine, emerald three-stories tall gym, with a bright, neon sign that hung from the side of it. The sign went from the roof to the bottom of the second story, spelling out the name of the gym. It shined brightly in the drawing.

Then he looked at the real thing, and he saw the shattered windows. He saw the chipped paint on the walls in the midst of peeling off, cracked and dried and looking ready to crumble right off. He saw the sign, that should have been turning on as the sun set was instead broken, not even mustering up the power to flicker.

"Oh boy," he whispered, gulping down his fears as he approached the door. The wooden frame was chipped and faded, resembling a slightly off-color cyan instead of the royal blue it was illustrated as in the ad. He knocked on it, once, twice, before simply turning the knob himself and stepping inside. "H-hello?"

"Huh? What's...?" A voice grumbled from the impenetrable darkness within the room. Jaune tried to find the figure in the shadows, only to hear something being kicked over. It bang against the ground, loudly, sounding like a wooden chair against the ground. There was an audible flick as the lights turned on and Jaune found a man leaning against the wall, rubbing his face. "Ah, damn it! God damn eyes..."

"Um... H-hello? Sir? Are you okay?"

"Hrm," he groaned, massaging his eyes. He used his hand to shield himself from the light as he glared at Jaune with scarlet irises. "What d'ya want?" he grumbled, his words as slurred as his movements. Jaune could see the bottle in the older man's free hand, and the lingering odor of liquor swam in the air of the room. Jaune cringed in disgust of the strong odor for a moment, before he answered the man.

"Um... I'm here for boxing lessons? There was a paper in the ad, and-"

"Boxing lessons?" The man stared at Jaune for a long moment, his scarlet eyes shimmering with an inquisitive amusement, before he laughed. He took a swig of his bottle, a crime in of itself, only to pause as he realized the container was empty. "Come on, kid. I'll show you the back." He dropped the bottle onto the ground, not even noticing Jaune flinching away as he expected the glass to shatter on the wooden floor. It quietly hit the ground though, and simply rolled out of the way as the raven-haired man walked.

Jaune followed, and the two walked past the front desk where the drunk had apparently been napping at. A pool of drool puddled in the center of the wooden desk, seeping into the material. A chair was on its' back behind it, probably from when the older man had stood up. Papers, pens, and other assorted goods laid strewn about around the desk, showing Jaune just how responsible of a worker this man way.

Which was not very much at all.

The older man led the worried youth to a door pass his desk and instead of opening it with his hand, he kicked it open. The door flung open, smacking into the metal railing of a staircase. "Hey! Tai! Got a new sheep for the slaughter." The man walked out of the doorway and placed his hand on the railing, grinning as the sound of the gym hit Jaune like a punch to the nose.

The large room was populated with about a dozen men, some shirtless, some wearing tank tops, all glaring at the rude interruption to their workout. Several punching bags hung from the roof, half of them being wailed on by the boxers, the other half collecting dust. Other men lined the walls, doing push ups and lifting weights. In the center of the room was a boxing ring, made of blue leather and accented with black rope and corner posts. The walls and floor of the room were made of a dull, dirty, grey stone, reminding Jaune more of a prison than a gym.

"Wait, what did you say?" squeaked Jaune, looking at the raven-haired man.

"What the hell, Qrow?! I told you to stop doing that!" a voice shouted. A man walked forward, pushing the younger boxers out of the way as he glared at the smirking receptionist.

"Oops. Forgot," 'Qrow' chuckled. He motioned to Jaune, pointing at him lazily. "Got a new recruit for you."

'Tai' sighed, rolling his eyes. Jaune looked him over as the older man did the same for him. In some ways, he looked like an older, tough version of Jaune. If Jaune had muscles, confidence, facial hair, and a slight tan, that is. The man had the same scruffy, blonde hair as he did, plus a beard of the same color. He had sapphire eyes too, though his lacked the youthful energy his own held (or so his parents would probably tell him). Beyond that, the man had an obviously stronger, bulkier frame than Jaune's body did, and instead of the white tank top and blue jeans, he wore an orange shirt with a dark-brown vest over it and matching trousers.

"Who are you, kid?" he asked, breaking Jaune's out of his thoughts.

"Oh! Uh, I'm Jaune. Jaune Arc."

"Arc?" Tai's cerulean eyes glared at the young man for a moment, before he walked forward. Jaune could feel his body stiffen as the much taller, and stronger man stood in front of him. "And you want to be a boxer?"

"He sure didn't come from the smell of sweaty bimbos like you," chuckled Qrow. In his head, Jaune couldn't help but think the statement was hypocritical considering the pungent odor of liquor on the scruffy-bearded man.

"Can it, Qrow! And what the hell?! Have you been drinking?! Are you insane?! Do you want this place closed down?!" Tai roared at Qrow, who merely shrugged in response.

"Calm down, Tai. Ain't nobody gonna tattle on you."

"Yeah, right," he sighed, before returning his fury back to Jaune. "Well?"

"Of course I wanna be a boxer! I-I mean, that's why I'm here!" Jaune wasn't sure what he was expecting from the answer, but laughter wasn't high on his list. Yet the other men around him seemed to find the idea of trainning beside him hilarious. Several of them burst out laughing, a few others just elbowed their friends and pointed at the blonde with smirks on their faces.

"Kid, I've trained a lot of boys into becoming men, even a few girls-"

_Wait, what?_ thought the youth.

"And in each of them, they had the spark. Your father was Jonathon Arc, right?" Jaune nodded his head, hesitantly, frowning when he saw Tai's pitiful stare. "I knew Jonathon. Fought him a couple of times. He gave me a nasty shiner, and I broke his nose on two separate occasions. He had the spark. You? You don't got it." And with that, Tai turned around and began to walk down the steps, back to the ring.

"Wait, that's it?! That's why you won't train me?!" Jaune dashed to follow the older man, grabbing onto his shoulder and trying to make him turn around. "Come on, I can do this! I can box!"

"Kid, why are you even here?" sighed the trainer.

Jaune paused at the question, before scratching the back of his head in thought. "Well, it's like you said. My dad was a boxer, and he was amazing. I want to be like him."

"Then go find a nice, young lady and settle down. This ain't the life for you, kid." Taiyang turned from the boy, only to watch Jaune run around and stand in front of him.

"Come on! Give me a chance!"

"Yeah, give him a chance, Tai!" one of the boxers stepped forward, grinning smugly. He had a pair of boxing gloves on his hands, and his body dripped with the sweat of a harsh work out. "I could go for some chicken."

"Yeah, let me have a wing," another laughed. A dark-skinned man walked forward, slamming his silver gloves together. "I'll tear it off of him!"

"Yeah, let Brawnz make a meal out of him!"

The other boxers began to take notice of the young man, who stared at them all with wide, fearful eyes. Tai shook his head, side to side at the the idiots that occupied his gym. "Alright, alright, that's enough. Break it up, ya bozos. Jaune here, was just leave-"

"I'll fight him."

"What?!" Somewhere, Tai was sure Qrow was laughing at him. "Kid, are you nuts?!"

"I'll fight him," repeated Jaune. "I'll see you on the court," he declared, pointing at Brawnz. The man seemed to stare at his new opponent with wide eyes, brushing some of his dark hair from his face, before he and several other boxers let out a mad cackle. "Uh... W-what'd I say?" wondered the blonde.

"Ring. It's called a ring, kid," sighed Qrow.

"But it's a square...?"

"It's a squared circle."

"That doesn't make any sense."

"Oh, for crying out loud! Just put your gloves on and meet me in the ring, sap!" roared Brawnz, to the cheers of his fellow athletes.

"R-right!" Jaune nodded his head, and began to jump in place. "Right... Alright, I can do this. I can do this!"

* * *

Jaune wasn't sure how or when, but he suddenly found himself on the floor, his head ringing and a distinct, wet feeling on his face. He groaned and tried to stand, only to bellow in pain as he opened his eyes to a bright, burning light above him. It was like looking right at the sun. He shielded his eyes, confused at the sudden weight he found on them.

"What happened...?" he groaned.

"You tried throwing an uppercut and ended up punching yourself in the face. Then you fell down and everyone laughed at you." Was that Qrow? It sounded like him. He heard the sound of a cap being twisted off a bottle and the distinct sound of someone drinking from it. When they stopped, Jaune could smell the distinct odor of liquor close to him. "Want any?"

Yeah. That was Qrow.

"N-no, I'm fine... What do you mean I punc- ow!"

"Yeah. Cut your lip pretty bad. Come on, kid, up you go." He felt arms gently grab onto his and Jaune was hoisted up, pulled onto a pair of shaking legs. "Easy there."

"What... where am I?" he muttered. He lifted up his hand to touch his face, only to realize how immobile they were. Both of his hands were trapped in a pair of boxing gloves, restrained to what little movements the gloves offered.

"The boxing ring. Heh. You hit yourself harder than I thought." Qrow motioned the young man to follow him. Jaune watched him walk to the ring's rope wall, and watched as Qrow moved the rope out of the way for him to slip through. "Come on."

"R-right." Jaune followed the older man, and after struggling to slip through, nearly fell onto the cold, hard ground outside the ring. He could hear someone laughing and he turned his head to see Brawnz standing with some other boxers. They had bottles of water in their hands, and they were pointing at Jaune with spiteful grins. They laughed at the boy, mocking how he had apparently punched himself in the face.

Taiyang was nowhere in sight, probably too disgusted with Jaune's performance.

"I... really messed up, didn't I?" Jaune was pushed down onto a bench as Qrow examined a small box. He opened it up and looked at the various items as the blonde sighed. "Damn it..."

"C'mere." Qrow pulled the boy closer and began to clean the wound. "This is gonna sting."

"What's gonna- Ow!"

"Hey, hold still. I'm wasting perfectly good alcohol cleaning this cut," chided the older man. Jaune tried his best to hold still as Qrow began to wipe the blood off of his face. The alcohol on the damp cloth stung, but he tried not to think about it. "Your old man never teach you to punch?"

"No... Dad didn't want me boxing."

"And yet, you're here."

"Yeah."

"Hm." Qrow nodded his head as he took out a small band-aid. He placed it on Jaune's lip with a scrutinizing stare, before nodding his head. "Alright, bleeding's stopped. Try not to open it up again, kid."

"Yeah..." Jaune stared at the floor, motionless. Qrow's brow furrowed as he scowled at the young man. He gently pushed against the young man's shoulder, catching his attention. "Look, kid, you ain't much of a boxer, but ya got heart, I'll give you that. Here's the address of a nice little joint I know. Go in, enjoy the atmosphere, drown out your problems."

Qrow reached into his pocket and took out a small slip of paper. He pulled out a pen from another pocket and began to write down on the slip. He held the paper up to Jaune, only to pull his hand away from his at the last second. "But you better speak lightly about this place. I find out you ratted anyone out, and I'll show you what I real beat down feels like. Get me?"

"Er... Y-yes, sir?"

* * *

Today was nothing like what Jaune expected it to be.

For one thing, he had utterly embarrassed himself at Signal, then, after being bandaged up by a drunk, which technically meant he had been helped by a criminal, he had been given an address and told to 'drown out his problems.' He hadn't really understood the words, but the day was still relatively early. He decided to go on a short walk, leading him to a nearby goods store called 'Beacon.'

After following Qrow's instructions, well...

A speakeasy wasn't exactly what he was expecting.

Musicians played on the stage, the sounds of saxophones and trumpets filling the air as people moved to the beat and rhythm. Jaune tried to avoid the dance floor, though he did admire the smiles on peoples' faces. They danced with one another to the swing of the fast-paced music as he sat down at the bar, still struggling to take everything in.

"Order, sir?" A young man stood beyond the bar, hands occupying themselves by cleaning a class. Jaune gave him a quick look over, silently confused by his two-toned hair. The bartender's bright, almost glowing, pink eyes stared at him patiently.

"Uh..." Jaune glanced away, looking around for an answer to the question. Eventually, he found one in the form of a blonde woman several seats to his left. She was downing a glass of amber-colored liquid, and seemed to be enjoying herself. "I'll have what she's having." The raven-haired bartender seemed to raise his brow, as if perplexed by the answer, before he simply shrugged.

"As you wish, sir." Jaune watched as the man reached behind him and pulled out a green bottle. He popped the cap off and poured the bubbly liquid into a glass cup, before placing it in front of the young man. "Enjoy, sir."

"Thanks." The blonde man watched the bartender walk away to serve another patron, before Jaune glanced down at his drink. He had never seen liquor up close before, though he had seen its' effects when he was younger. The memories of his mother and father turning red in the face and laughing at every little thing played clearly in his head. There was a moment's hesitation, before Jaune shrugged. "Here goes, I guess," he muttered to himself. He picked up the glass and didn't even bother to give it a sniff, instead pouring it straight into his mouth like the blonde woman did.

He almost immediately regretted this choice as his throat burned and his eyes shot open like shattered window. "Mph!" Tears were welling up in the corners of his eyes as the liquid seared his tongue. He felt like his taste buds were on fire! No, not just his taste buds, his whole face! He let out a muffled whimper, on the verge of crying as he tried to find a place to get rid of this awful drink!

Jaune looked left, finding some folks stare at him with amused grins and mocking smiles. He looked right, and found the bartender watching him with calm eyes and a single, raised brow. There wasn't a trashcan in sight, and even there was, the burning in his mouth was only becoming more insufferable. There was no way he could run around with the liquor torching the inside of his skull. Unfortunately, he seemed to have only one option.

Jaune fell out of his seat and began to spit the horrid beverage out of his mouth, coating the smooth, wooden floor with his mouth's contents. He must have looked like an absolute idiot, and the knowledge that everyone at the speakeasy was staring at him just made him feel sicker. This was supposed to be the start of a new chapter of his life. He was going to be somebody, and folks would look up to him. Instead, here he was, throwing up in some bar, alone and mocked, after he had knocked himself out.

_I have officially hit rock bottom,_ he realized. A shaking, trembling hand reached up to the bar. He held onto the frame and forced his body up on equally shaky legs. Almost as soon as he as he was up, he slipped on his own vomit and nearly banged his own face into the counter. _I shouldn't even be here... I should never have left home. I should have known I wasn't cut out for this..._

He forced himself back up and looked at the small puddle he was standing in. Someone tried speaking to him, but he just ignored them. His face felt hot, and it wasn't just out of shame. He took a step forward, sighing as he lifted his head up to look at the stairs. _Just leave, Jaune. Just catch the bus back home and forget this whole stupid idea..._

Jaune shoved his hands into his pockets as he walked, ignoring how his wet, smelly shirt clung to his chest. He tried not to think about how he reeked of liquor, sweat, and blood. He just wanted to find his way back to his bed, or hell, any bed that would take him. He soon reached the base of the stairs, only to stop as he caught something out of the corner of his aqua-colored eyes. He turned his head, finding a woman standing in the outskirts of the dance floor.

A young woman stood there, nervously looking around. Her fingers squeezed the hem of her scarlet dress as she watched the festivities around her. Jaune didn't know why she caught his attention. She was just another woman in this place, another person living their life, not giving a damn about his. He shouldn't give one to hers, but then he saw her fall.

A man had swung his partner around, too drunk on liquor or celebration to even care about the young woman who they had knocked over. She laid on the ground, rubbing her head as people spun and danced around her. One woman nearly stepped on her leg, causing the young, scarlet-dressed woman to recoil back as she sat on the floor. It seemed most people were too drunk to care about the poor woman, or maybe they were just uncaring.

Some part of Jaune told him to just walk away, to not even bother to help her. The same part reminded Jaune about how awful today had been. Misery loves company, wasn't that the old saying?

Of course, his parents taught him better than that.

"Hey!" He made a dash to her side, pushing through or around people as he approached the girl. He pushed through the small sea of dancers to reach her side, holding his hand out to her as he made himself a barrier between her and the excited masses. "Are you okay? Do you need help?" He saw the girl up close, and while he had known she wasn't very tall, she looked practically tiny up close.

She lacked the adult curves and mature shape most women here did. Instead she seemed more petite, more like she was in the midst of developing those same curves. Actually, this girl seemed pretty young, too young to be in a place like this. She wore a beautiful, crimson-red dress that she wore modestly. The hem of the skirt dipped down, past her skirt, stopping just short of impracticability. The dress exposed the top part of her breasts, but a black cloth underneath covered what the dress did not.

What caught his attention most was the young woman's hair and eyes. Her hair was two-toned, like the bartender's. It was deep, almost nightly black at first, only to subtlety turn crimson at her bangs. Was this something that was popular in the city? Jaune had never seen anything like it in his home town. The other feature that caught his blue eyes were her own eyes. They were silver, a color he had never even thought could be an eye color.

He was broken from his thoughts by the feeling of her small, but soft hand in his. He ignored the fact that a pretty, young woman was holding his hand, a rare occurrence for him, if one didn't count family members, and with little effort he helped her onto her feet.

"Thanks..." The woman stared at Jaune, her eyes meeting his as their hands remained linked. A small smile pulled at the corners of her lips as she giggled. "Aren't you the guy who vomited on the bar?"

* * *

"And then I come here, drink God knows what, and... Well... You saw the end results of that," sighed Jaune. "I'm pretty sure this is the worst day of my life," he admitted. His new friend, Ruby Rose, listened with an attentive ear as the two sat at the table. Their table was in a little corner of Beacon, as far from the rowdy dancers and loud instruments as possible.

"Wow. You actually punched yourself in the face?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah..."

"Wow... That's kind of amazing, when you think about it."

"Didn't feel amazing at the time..."

Ruby's smile faltered for a moment and she scratched the back of her head as guilt became clear in her eyes. Jaune was about to apologize, only for her to speak first. "You're right. I'm sorry. Tell you what, why don't I buy you a drink? It's the least I can do for you helping me."

"You don't have to," he replied, waving his hand dismissively. "I was just going to find a bus and head home..."

"Why?" she asked, her eyes wide with curiosity and surprise. Jaune glanced back at her, a small frown on his face.

"Come on, you heard my story... I'm not cut for the city life. I'm not like you or anyone else here..."

"Like me? I wasn't born in the city either, Jaune." The blonde tilted his head, staring at the girl as she raised her hand. "Hey, Nora? Can we get some whiskey and pop, please?"

"You got it, Rubes!" a waitress replied.

"Really, Ruby, you don't have to-"

"I want to." The girl looked at him, and Jaune would have almost thought her rude if not for the concern that was clear in her eyes. "You weren't the only one having a rough day. First, I get writer's block for the story I'm writing, then my sister says I need to go make new friends and get out of the house, so she practically tears my clothes off and throws me into this dress-"

Jaune tried not to think too hard about that mental image...

"And then she just ditches me!" Ruby let out a load groan, falling back into her seat as an orange-haired waitress returned with two bottles of soda and a single bottle of whiskey. "Thanks, Nora."

"No problem!" The grinning waitress turned her head to Jaune, beaming at him as she looked him over. "Hey there! I'm Nora! Welcome to Beacon!"

"Uh... Hi? I mean, hey there, I'm Jaune," he greeted, lifting his hand to wave at her.

"Neat! You a boxer?"

"Huh? How did you-?"

"Your face!" Nora pointed to her own, still smiling, though a glimmer of curiosity was clear in her voice. She almost sounded like a child asking a question, more so than the younger girl sitting across from Jaune. "That looks nasty. Who knocked your lights out?"

"Oh. Uh... I did. I punched myself in the face," admitted Jaune. He immediately cursed his honest nature, but instead of laughing, the ginger-haired waitress tilted her head in confusion.

"Why the heck did you do that?" She didn't sound mocking, she actually sounded genuinely curious, even concerned, an expression that Ruby mirrored when he tried to explain himself.

"It was an accident," he insisted. "I went to Signal to try and be a boxer, and when I tried showing the coach their my stuff, I ended up punching myself in the face."

"Well, that sounds embarrassing."

"It was," he sighed, his eyes falling to the floor.

"Hm. Well, in that case, first drinks are on the house!" she declared, pumping a fist towards the ceiling. "Enjoy!"

"Wait, a-are you sure?" Jaune asked, his eyes widening. _She can't just give me a free drink just because I had a bad day, can she?!_

"Thanks, Nora!" Ruby replied, waving goodbye as the waitress ignored Jaune's question. "Well, guess she'll be buying you drinks."

"C-can she just do that?"

"Sure. She does it all the time for customers who are having bad days. Keeps people coming after they have good ones," explained the girl. "You've never been to Beacon before, right? The people who work here are really nice. My family's been going here since it opened."

"Really?" Jaune looked at the girl, watching her pour her soda into an empty glass. She stopped about halfway and opened the bottle of whiskey next, before pouring the liquor into the cup.

"Yeah. My uncle's a regular. So's my older sister," Ruby explained.

"Huh." Jaune nodded his head, slowly taking in the information. Today had just felt like one thing after another, now here he was, sharing a drink with some girl he had just met, inside of a speakeasy. If his parents knew where he was or what he'd been doing, he wasn't sure what they'd do to him. "Um... So what are you doing?"

"Mixing our drinks for us," she answered. "I'm like you, I can't stand raw giggle water. So I like mixing it with soda. It sweetens it and takes away the bad taste. Here, taste it!" Ruby placed the whiskey back onto the table and held out the concoction she had made towards Jaune. The blonde glanced down at the drink, before looking towards the eager smile on his new friend's face.

Memories of his previous drink touched his mind and squeezed his stomach, but he decided to try and ignore it. He reached forward to take the drink and with a quick prayer to God, sipped at it. He blinked at the sensation it had on his tongue. Rather than the blistering, burning pain he experienced earlier, he was pleasantly surprised to find the drink tasted more like normal, cold, bubbly soda.

"Huh. That tastes good, actually."

"Thanks! My uncle taught me how to do it for my eighteenth birthday. I hated my first drink too, but he came in and helped me."

_Eighteenth birthday?_ Another question popped into Jaune's head as he watched Ruby pour soda and alcohol into her own cup. He tried not to think about the question out of fear of offending the one of the nicest girls he'd met all day, but it continued to poke and prod his mind. "So, was that recently?"

"Was what recently?"

"Your eighteenth birthday?"

He might as well have asked her what color the sky was, because that's how she looked at him. Her brow rose up, confused, before turning into a slight glare. Jaune felt like he should have felt more intimidated, but it was hard to feel threatened by the smaller, younger girl glaring at him. It was like his baby sister was mad at him for tattling on her. Instead of fear, Jaune just felt a smidgen of guilt as Ruby sighed.

"I'm twenty one! I've been twenty one for months! It's not my fault everyone else is so tall!" she grumbled. "Stupid, Yang... Stupid tall people," she cursed, before downing her dark drink. Jaune couldn't hold back a chuckle at her exasperation and anger.

"I'm sorry, is that a sore spot?"

"Ugh, it just sucks being so tiny. I drink my milk, but even girls my age are taller than me, let alone my big sister!" Ruby let out a loud groan, and it was at this moment that Jaune realized her cheeks were slightly flushed. She took another sip of her drink, emptying the glass with a single gulp. "Ugh... I am twenty one... Not my fault people are so tall..."

"Well, um... I'm twenty three, so... uh... Don't be upset about me being taller than you?" Jaune considered reach forward to pat the girl's shoulder, but decided against it. Her silver glare fell upon him, and he felt his spine stiffen as he feared the worst. Instead, a small smile pulled the corner of Ruby's lips again as she shook her head.

"Ah, don't worry about it. My sister just teases me all the time about it, so it is kind of annoying, but that's not your fault." Ruby shrugged her shoulders. "Sorry if I scared you."

"Hey, it's okay. I have like seven sisters, and they tease me all the time. This one time, my older sister decided to braid my hair while I was asleep, then mom and dad yelled at me for antagonizing them!"

"Ugh! I hate it when dad says that!" The two paused after Ruby's groan, silently staring at the other. Then, like mirrors, the two began to smile. "So, why'd you help me back there, anyways?"

"You looked like you needed help. Besides, my mom always told me that strangers were just friends you haven't met yet," he replied.

"Well, I'm glad we're friends," she admitted. "Can I ask you something else, though?"

"Sure."

"Do you still intend on going back home tonight?" Ruby's questioned caused Jaune to pause. He blinked, unsure of how to answer as she glanced at her drink. "I mean, I know we just met, but I don't think you should. I have always wanted to be a writer. I've always loved stories of heroes and monsters, I was practically raised by them! Ever since then, I've been trying to be a writer. I've been trying to get my book published for almost a year now."

_A whole year?!_ Jaune could only blink as he tried to understand how difficult that must have been. He had tried to live his dream, failed once, and was ready to give up. Yet here was a girl younger than him, trying to realize her dream for a whole year! A whole year of struggle and rejection... "I-I'm sorry..."

"Don't be." Despite everything, she smiled. "I'm not giving up on my dream, and I don't think you should either." Ruby shrugged her shoulders as she met his stare. "I don't know. I just hate the idea of anyone giving up on their dream."

"No, I mean... I really appreciate you caring. Even my parents didn't seem very confident in me trying to become a boxer," he lamented. "It's nice knowing someone believes in me."

"Hey, come on. No one's an expert on their first day." Ruby's hand gently punched his shoulder, pushing him back an inch. "So you punched yourself in the face and knocked yourself out. Is that a bad start to your career as a boxer? Ehh... Kind of," she admitted, her tone teasing and light-hearted. Rather than frown at the memory, Jaune chuckled instead, nodding his head along.

"That's an understatement."

"But tomorrow's a new day! Promise me you'll go to Signal again tomorrow?"

Jaune stared at the woman with a look of disbelief. This stranger seemed invested in his life, to the point that she looked at him like they had been friends for years, as if she had known about his dreams and fears her whole life. Maybe, in a weird way, she saw herself in him. A socially awkward geek trying to be more than they were yesterday.

"You really think I should go there tomorrow?" She nodded her head without hesitation. "Hm... Alright. I'll head over."

"As soon as they open?"

"Oh, uhh... Sure, I can do that."

"Great!"

"Excuse me?" Both man and woman turned their heads to find a familiar figure watching them. The bartender from earlier stood by their table, his magenta eyes stared at Jaune as the young, raven-haired man held a slip of paper between his fingers. "This is how much you owe us for the drink." He handed the piece of paper to the young boxer, before walking away. Jaune glanced down at the paper and his eyes widened.

"So, you'd say you'd cover for my first drink, right...?"

* * *

_An Arc never goes against his or her word. That's what dad always said..._ Jaune sighed as he stared at the doors to Signal Gym. _Can't be any worse than my first day here,_ he reasoned as he turned the doorknob. He stepped into the gym and saw the scruffy, unkempt figure of Qrow, sitting on his chair with his legs on the table.

"Well, look who it is," the man chuckled. "You got heart, kid, I'll give you that." The older man groaned as he jumped out of his seat, walking towards the back door before Jaune could reach it. "Give them hell, blondie."

"Uh... Thanks?" Jaune wasn't sure why Qrow was grinning so much, but he didn't feel right about it. The smirk on his face had a secret, but Jaune couldn't even begin to try and decipher the strange drunkard. So he just shrugged it off and looked around the gym, seeking Taiyang.

It was still fairly early in the day, so most of the boxers weren't even here yet. A pair were duking it out in the ring, and a few men were lifting weights on the side. Beside them was the man Jaune was looking for, Taiyang Xiao Long, yelling at the boys to work harder. The scowl on his face only seemed to deepen as he saw Jaune wave at him.

"You again? Kid, I already told ya, you ain't cut out for this line of-"

"Jaune! Hey, over here!" Jaune heard the distinct sound of someone getting punched in the face as he turned his head to the ring. His eyes widened and his jaw practically hit the floor as he saw who had called out to him. A large, lumbering body stumbled left and right, before hitting the ground, giving him full view of the grinning boxer. Ruby Rose stood over her opponent a toothy grin greeting him as a large, crimson boxing glove waved at him. "You came! You ready to learn a thing or too?"

"R-Ruby...?"

"Wait, Ruby, you know this mook?" Tai sounded just as shocked as Jaune did, if not more so.

"Yeah! He's my friend!" She pulled the rope wall apart and slipped through the gap, landing between the two golden-haired men. "Don't worry, pops, I'll make a champ out of him!"

"What?!"

"Wait, pops?!"

* * *

"And that's how Jaune and I met. I've been teaching him how to fight since."

Weiss took a sip of her ginger ale, her azure jewels glancing between Jaune and Ruby. The three sat at their table as the band performed. The blonde simply smiled with a shrug of his shoulders as Ruby beamed, finishing her soda and whiskey mix. "I only asked what happened to Arc's eye. You really didn't need to tell me that whole story..."

"Oh. Oops. Sorry!" Ruby giggled at her own mistake, scratching the back of her head as Weiss rolled her eyes. "But hey, Jaune has been getting better!"

"Is that why he has a black eye?"

"I-it just happened while we were practicing!" explained Jaune. "We were trading blows, and I was doing pretty good, so Ruby stopped holding back and I..."

"Got punched in the face by a little girl?" Weiss snickered, a wryly smile pulling on her lips.

"Yeah..."

"Hey, don't feel too bad, Jaune! You were doing great! You were really licking me before that!"

"He did what?!"

"Ah! Ruby! Phrasing!"

**END**


	6. Love is Just Around the Corner

**Love is Just Around the Corner**

Weiss awoke one winter morning to the sound of knocking. Her door was being knocked upon, the tapping was loud and incessant, nothing like the gentle prodding Miss Scarlatina typically employed. Weiss growled, pushing against her pillow and rising up from under her blanket with a scowl etched into her face. Her white nightgown hugged her body as she stepped out of bed, yelling back at the shaking door.

"I'm up, Velvet! You can stop now!" she commanded, rubbing the sleep from her azure eyes. _What is wrong with her this morning?_

"A-as you wish, Mistress Schnee." The voice immediately brought Weiss to her senses. Weiss knew Velvet's voice, she had heard it for years. She could recognize the timidness and the hint of an accent from a single word. She knew in an instant that the person outside was not Velvet.

"W-wait!" Weiss bolted towards the door, opening it to find a male, human servant just outside, hands raised to his neck in fear.

"I-I'm sorry, Mistress! Did I do something wrong?!"

"Who are you? Where's Velvet?!" The man looked almost scared of her. She saw the way he stepped back when she moved forward, and she noticed how his eyes refused to meet hers.

"M-Miss Scarlatina no longer works here, Mistress Schnee. She was fired last night for inappropriate conduct."

"What?!" Weiss repeated the words in her mind, but no matter how many times she repeated it, the words just didn't make sense. Velvet was a perfect worker, efficient, polite, kind, everything her family wanted. She had worked with her family for years, since Weiss was a child, so why was she suddenly fired without warning?! "Where is my father?" she hissed through clenched teeth.

"H-his office, but he is in the middle of a meet-!" She pushed the poor servant aside, uncaring to his pleas to stop as she began marching to her father. She knew that should have listened, but the logical part of her mind was not able to reach her legs.

Nor could they stop her hands or mouth as she pushed the doors open and called out to her father. He and several other heads turned to face the scowling daughter, staring at her sharp, icy-blue eyes as she glared at the head of the table. "What happened to Velvet, father? Why did you fire her?!"

There was a hushed silence that fell among her father and the men by his side. The men lining the table were some of Vale's richest and most powerful, but they all looked to her father for his response. Jacques Whittaker Schnee did not panic, nor did he even seem perturbed by the intrusion. The men shared his stoic nature, watching as he gestured to them.

"I apologize, gentlemen. My daughter has recently lost her favorite Faunus." His stare turned to his daughter, and she could feel his cold glare fall upon her shoulders. "Weiss, we can talk about this later. Please leave."

"Not until I get answers."

"Seems like you'll need to buy your daughter a new toy, Whittaker," one of the seated men laughed. His chortling only made the fire in Weiss grow, and it only grew further as others joined him. They saw her anger and rage as nothing more than a child's tantrum. Her father lacked his cohorts' smirks and laughter. Instead, he merely pushed his fingers together as he stared at Weiss.

"Weiss, I insist we discuss this at another time?" he requested.

"No. I want answers now. I deserve that much!" Some of the men continued to mock her, but her father lifted his hand to silence them. He leaned back, falling against his seat as he stared at his daughter with unreadable eyes.

"Very well. You wish to cause a scene? Very well, you only embarrass yourself. Miss Scarlatina no longer works for our family. I found her behavior around you was unbecoming, and unfit for a servant."

"She wasn't a servant! She was my friend!" That silenced the room, to the point that her very heartbeat was deafening. The outburst shocked even her as her father's eyes darkened. The rich and powerful glanced to one another, their faces reflecting their confusion. They acted as if the words Weiss uttered were incomprehensible.

"She is a Faunus." Her father's voice was heated, lower, almost a growl as he tried to subdue his daughter. His attempts failed as their cold glares fell upon the other.

"I want to see her!" she declared, stepping back to go the servants' quarters. He seemed to predict her move as he spoke up.

"Miss Scarlatina no longer lives here."

"What...?"

"If she doesn't work here, what logic would there be in having her live among us? She is no longer our responsibility, Weiss. It doesn't matter where she is or what she does now." The words brought a harsh truth into the light. Weiss' eyes widened as she realized the full implications of Velvet's lost profession. The young princess had thought she had merely lost a friend, but it was far worse.

Velvet lived at the Schnee Estate. She hadn't merely lost her profession. She lost any attempt at a formal education and was reduced to a homeless vagrant out on the snow-covered streets. "You threw her out on the street...?" Her nails dug into the palms of her hands as she trembled, teeth grinding against each other as she tried to comprehend the cruelty.

"I'm not a monster. I allowed her enough money for a night or two at one of the lower class inns."

"And what about the day after?!" Her voice was loud, almost booming as she glared at her father. The other men watched with shocked and disgust as Weiss marched forward and slammed her hand upon the table. "What will she do for food?! Water?! A roof over her head?! You're murdering her! Just because you prolong it doesn't make you a saint!"

"Her life is no longer my concern. Nor is it yours." She could hear it in his voice that he wanted this conversation to end, and as much as she wanted to fight back, she knew her father would punish her harshly for it. Weiss knew she couldn't let her emotions entangle and trap her. She had to focus on the more immediate problem. She had to help Velvet.

"Where is her hotel?" He glared at her for daring to ask the question, his rage palpable, but she continued to plead to him for an answer. "Father, please."

"I'll have one of the other servants inform you on her whereabouts." She nodded her head, but he spoke again before she could take her leave. "This is the last time we will discuss the matter, Weiss." She paused, before nodding her head again and taking her leave. As she quietly walked away, she could hear her father's partners mutter to themselves.

One voice etched its' way above the others, pawing at her ear and fanning the flame within her. "I don't see why she was so upset. It's just a Faunus."

* * *

Weiss stared at the piece of paper between her fingertips. The paper was bent, crinkled in her pocket with signs of wear and tear obvious on the corners and sides. She had taken the paper out of her pocket over a dozen times now. It contained Velvet's new home and address, but... what was she supposed to do with it? Apologize for ruining Velvet's life? Plead for forgiveness as she starved to death on the streets? Promise Velvet she'd make things right, even though Weiss knew that was impossible? Her father was as stubborn as he was wealthy...

That left Weiss with nothing to offer to Velvet beyond sympathy and apologies.

 _I'm so sorry, Velvet..._ There was once a time where Weiss simply saw the Faunus as a servant, and nothing more. She had been a fool to think so little of her... Yet, now that she saw Velvet as a friend, there was nothing the wealthy princess could do to help her.

She couldn't face her. Not until she had an actual solution, but what could she do? Her calls to Ozpin for help failed. Mr. Port explained that Ozpin was away on business, and couldn't be contacted, at least, for another week. She was even tempted to seek advice from the driver, but stopped herself. He couldn't help her.

When faced with a problem that seemed beyond her, Weiss would look to her father or sister for answers. She couldn't do anything of the sort for this. Her father would insult her for 'embarrassing' the family and accuse her of being unworthy of the Schnee family name. While Winter had never displayed bigotry towards Faunus, she could never understand Weiss' need to help Velvet.

For Weiss, it no longer mattered if Velvet was a Faunus. The young woman was Weiss' friend. Velvet could have told her father everything, yet he remained ignorant of her double life. Velvet seemed ready to take their secret to the literal grave with her, but Weiss wouldn't allow such a thing.

That is why she now stood outside Beacon. She had recalled Miss Katt's words regarding the speakeasy. It needed more workers, and while a life of crime wasn't what Weiss wanted for Velvet, it was a job that paid well with people that wouldn't mistreat her. For now, that was enough.

She entered through the doors, walking into the store and made a bee line for the cashier. "I need to go downstairs immediately," she declared, glaring at the cashier. If she recalled, this man's name was Dove and he seemed largely disinterested with her.

"They're closed, and ya mind pipin' down about it?" he replied, glaring at her.

"I just need to talk to Mr. Coal."

"Fine. Heaven forbid I get off work on time." The cashier rolled his eyes, before standing up from his stool. He walked over to the back door and gave it a single knock. "Hey, Russel! Get out here!"

The jade-haired worker walked into the store room as Dove returned to his seat. Weiss felt a tinge of revulsion at the man, scowling as his eyes leered at her. "Hey, dollface!"

"Don't. Just show me to Beacon." The man seemed to pause, glancing towards Dove, who just returned to his book as he tried to ignore the two.

"Sure, sure. Come on, follow me."

Russel smiled at her, but Weiss simply rolled her eyes in response. He led her into the back room and then down the ladder. He followed behind her as she entered the speakeasy, finding it empty and dimly lit. The floor was clean, the stage empty, and every chair had been flipped turned upside down and placed onto a table.

"Where is Coal?"

"Flynt's out right now. I can go get him for you. Why don't I get you a drink while you wait?"

Weiss held back a groan of annoyance. Instead, she simply sat down on a stool in front of the bar."Fine. Ginger ale," she sighed. "And please hurry. I need to speak to Coal."

"Right, right... You got it, toots." Weiss tried to ignore the oily, creeping sensation she felt whenever Russel glanced at her. She turned her head away from him and stared at the empty, dimly lit stage that was meant to hold Neon and the others.

Weiss had been on her fair share of stages, far grander than the humble, wooden one Beacon had. Despite that, she couldn't help but admire the quaint structure. The scarlet curtains were made of a fabric that almost reminded her of a blanket. It was safe and warm, and she could only imagine what touching the material would be like. The wooden planks were fused together, creating a smooth surface for the musicians and singers. It was... so simple. Not like the intricate, gigantic stages she was used to.

 _I wonder..._ She saw herself on the stage, singing a song more befitting for Neon or Coco. The song was fast, quick, with a energy to it that made her heart race. The song bounced against the oak walls of Beacon, dust bouncing off of the trembling wood as the instruments played. Flynt was by her side, trumpet in his hands, playing along with her as she sang.

"Hey, dollface." Weiss' lips twisted into a small scowl as she glanced at Russel. He held her drink up, smiling at her as she took it from him. "Will that be cash or check?" he asked, and the smile that crept onto his face brought a sense of dread over the girl.

Despite that, she took the drink and replied, "Just take the money and leave." She dropped a few coins onto the counter and turned her body away from him. She sipped from the glass cup, her brow rising as she noticed the drink's strange taste. "This doesn't taste like ginger ale."

"Er... Yeah. We're all out of the usual kind. This one's... strawberry flavored."

She stared at him with cold, icy eyes as she picked apart his face. She couldn't shake a growing distrust for this little nobody, but when she sipped at her drink again she relaxed. It certainly tasted sweeter than her normal drink, but that was the extent of the differences. She continued to drink away, quietly resolving to herself that she'd finish it and speak to Flynt regarding Velvet.

Speaking of which... "Well? Go get Coal!"

"In a bit, in a bit. I just wanted to get to know you, doll. Y'know, check out the chassis," Russel grinned, his eyes darting down her body as he leaned forward, resting his arms on the counter. "You are one hot dame, y'know that, Jane?"

"My name is... not Jane." Weiss growled, catching herself. "You're being annoying! Go away," she commanded, waving her hand as if he was a stray cat. She leaned back in her seat, only to almost hit the ground. _Drat. Stool._ She mentally sighed, trying to maintain her dignity against his perverse gaze. "Stop looking at me. I told you to leave."

"That's not very nice, dame, and after I went through all that effort to get you the good stuff."

"Good... stuff?" Weiss felt hot. She took off her coat and tried to place it on the seat beside her, but it slipped between her fingers and onto the floor. "Stuff... You...?" Her eyes glanced at the empty cup in her hand and her eyes widened as she tried to stand. She almost fell over, but Russel's hand caught her shoulder and gently pushed her back down to the seat. "My drink... Wiquor?" She cursed herself, gently shaking her head out of the fog that infested it. "Liquor..."

"Hard alcohol, with a little something more to help you relax," Russel grinned. His hands stroked her naked shoulder, tracing lines on her skin. She shuddered at the clammy, cold feeling he gave her.

"Don't touch me," she grumbled, but it was hard to even sit up now. She nearly slipped from her seat, but he caught her again. He pushed her back onto his seat as he leaned forward.

"Come on, doll, don't be like that. Just sit back and enjoy yourself..."

Weiss ordered her body to fight back. She screamed at herself to move. She tried to push him away, but he just brushed her hands out of the way. She told her body to run, but her legs felt like they were skewered on pins and needles. Her whole body felt a cold chill go down it as she whimpered. It was the most she could utter, her lips suddenly out of her control. Any attempt to voice her protests came out slurred, if at all.

"Quit fighting me! I just wanted some due payment..."

"Get... away!" She lunged forehead, bending her head down. She felt her forehead hit something hard, before hearing Russel's cry of pain.

"Ah, damn it! My nose!"

"Stay away." She didn't dare sound scared. She put all her remaining strength into her voice, forcing her lips to enunciate every syllable. She was scared, no, terrified, but she'd be damned if she'd let this bastard know it. She struggled and fought against him as his nails dug into her wrists, stinging and squeezing her arms. "Stop it!" she cried, trying to push him away as her eyes squeezed shut.

"God damn it, stop-" His hands suddenly released hers and he let out a cry, as though he was surprised. Weiss opened her eyes and tried to decipher the blurry imagery as voices echoed around her.

"Hey, c-come on, let go of me!"

Despite her mind telling her how unlikely it was, she watched as a blob that resembled Flynt Coal lifted another blob, that looked like Russel, off his feet and yanked him over the counter, dragging him face first onto the ground. She blinked a couple of times, clearing her vision enough to see that it was indeed Flynt standing by her side, over the groaning Russel.

"What the hell, Flynt?!"

"Shut up." The bar-owner grabbed Russel' by his green locks and hoisted him up, ignoring the smaller man's cries. "Scram, Russel."

"What?! You can't just kick me out! I work here!" The man protested, but Flynt seemed uncaring. The taller man dropped the lankier one on the ground and shoved his fallen body away with his foot.

"Not anymore. Neon!" Weiss could hear the distinct sound of footsteps as someone ran towards the three. "Get this idiot the hell out of here, and make sure he stays gone. Got it?"

"You got it, Flynt! Move it, asshole. Get those dogs moving!" Neon beamed. The disguised princess could hear Russel being dragged away, and her shoulders fell and her heart fell into the pit of her stomach as the danger left.

* * *

Flynt never really considered himself a hero. He never saw himself as any girl's knight in shining armor, or prince charming, but that didn't mean he was heartless. He saw Russel spike Snowflake's drink, he saw her fight that bastard off. He had to help her, and so he did. Flynt watched as Neon shoved Russel out of the speakeasy, but one other problem still remained.

"Snowflake? Snowflake, can you hear me?" Flynt placed his hand on Snowflake's shoulder and gently shook her. She was unresponsive to his question, her eyes glazed over as she trembled on her seat. _Damn it,_ he thought.

He still had no idea who this mystery girl was, but his mother didn't raise a criminal. Well, he guessed she did, but everyone had their standards, right? "Snowflake, it's Flynt. I need you to tell me where you live. I'm going to take you home, okay?" He didn't think much of the question, but he certainly didn't think it'd get such a reaction out of the raven-haired woman.

"No!" She smacked his hand away and tried to stand up, but her legs continued to fail her. Whatever it was that Russel gave her made it impossible for her to run away as she stumbled and fell. Flynt moved his body off his seat to catch her, letting her land on his chest as he hands held her. "Can't go back..."

"Whoa, easy...!" Flynt pushed the young girl back to her seat, but she struggled ever inch of the way.

"Let go! Let go of... let go of me!"

"Snowflake, come on, it's me! I'm trying to help! It's Flynt! Y'know, Mr. Coal?!" To his surprise, Snowflake stopped fidgeting in his hold as she simply laid in his arms, her face pressed against his chest. He could feel something tug on his clothing and when he looked closely, he saw her fingers digging into his shirt.

"I'm... suwch an idiot," her muffled voice whimpered.

"Uh..." Flynt's dark-colored eyes widened as her fingers continued to dig into his chest. Snowflake's voice was slurring and sounded far more high-pitched, but that wasn't what caught his attention. It sounded like she was crying in his arms, actually, that's exactly what it felt like as her voice cried out again.

"F-Fathwer... D-daddy... He was right." Her voice was gasping, unsteady in her breathing.

"Um... There, there?" Flynt turned his head to the entrance of the speakeasy, silently urging Neon to hurry up as Snowflake quaked in his arms. "Look, it's fine. Whatever your deal is with your father, I'm sure-"

"You don'tsh get it!" Her hand thrust into his chest, but Flynt ignored the slight pain as she continued to cry. "I killed her... S-she's gonna die because of me..."

"Hold on, what the hell are you talking about?" Flynt tried to push her away enough to look her in the eyes, but her arms latched onto him and kept her face buried in his chest. "Who is going to die? What the hell are you talking about?"

"V-Velvet... She's going to die on dwa streets becaushof of me."

Flynt fought back a sigh as the young woman continued to cry. He could feel something cold and wet touch him through his dress shirt, and the dark-haired woman hugged him even tighter as she wept. He closed his eyes and chose his next words carefully, before he spoke with precision and authority that befit the second in command of Beacon. "Snowflake, look. Maybe we can help you and your friend, but we can't do a damn thing if you don't explain what the hell you're talking about. Now, tell me what happened from the start."

Snowflake didn't say anything in response at first. She just laid her head on him like he was her pillow. He considered forcing her off of him, but resisted the urge. She could lay there for a few more minutes. He didn't mind her laying on him too much, but he was starting to feel glad that Neon wasn't here. She'd never let him live this down.

Finally, the young woman spoke up. "She had a job as a maid, and... and I got'er fired." The distinct sound of her nose sniffling echoed throughout the bar. Flynt just sighed and began to pat her back, trying to act like the two of them were good friends.

"Come on, Snowflake. Don't hold back." His gloved hand stroked the small of her back, feeling her smooth skin through her white dress as her hat crumbled between them. He stared at the ebony locks that fell upon her neck, following them down her body as he held the girl. She felt so small in his arms. He listened to her gasp and hiccup, the tears falling faster now as other unladylike noises flowed from her. He listened to her snort up snot, before she could speak again.

"She hada job, an education, a home... She... she lived wiff 'er employer... and I got 'er fired." She gasped for air, sounding broken and alone, not haughty. "Sh' was my friend, an' now she's gonna die wiffouta home!" Her hands pounded against Flynt's chest, but he didn't stop her. He just quietly continued to stroke her back. "She's ju's a Faunus! She'll die out there!"

"A Faunus?" Flynt blinked, surprised by the news, only to feel her hands dig into his shoulders. She forced themselves apart, and he saw into her eyes for the first time that night, and for the first time since meeting her, he felt like he saw the real her.

There was strength in those blue, azure eyes. A cold, icy shield that was made to protect her heart, but also a sharpness and intellect that he didn't see in most. There was an edge in them, a gleam that showed a certain danger in her eyes. She was fragile, like glass, but strong and unyielding like ice. He struggled to properly explain what he saw in her eyes. Snowflake wasn't like most ladies he knew. There was more to her than what he saw, that was clear.

"That's why ah came 'ere. You have to help'er."

"You came here? For that?" His surprise only grew as her hands dug into his collar and her blue eyes, tinted crimson from all of her crying, glared at him.

"You have to. You treat your Faunus employees jus' like they're humans. You haff to hire her!" She suddenly blinked, her eyelids looking heavy as she fell against his chest. "You haff to... It's my fault she's 'urting... You haf..."

"Snowflake?" She was still breathing, but she didn't move. She was unconscious, it seemed. "Damn it," he sighed.

"Flynt?"

 _Damn it!_ Flynt flinched at the sound of his name. He slowly turned his head to look at his best friend, Neon Katt, staring at him. She had a confused look on her face, before her lips stretched into a beaming grin.

"Am I interrupting something?"

* * *

Weiss awoke to the sound of a trumpet playing through her bedroom's walls. It wasn't loud or stinging, but rather a somber tune that drifted her to the land of the waking. It was as though a wave had gently picked up her slumbering body, and carried her from her dreams to the real world. She let out a yawn and looked around, rubbing the sleep from her eyes...

Her eyes that shot open as she realized she had no idea where she was. She opened her mouth, only to close it as she rubbed her fingers through her hair. The last thing she remembered was going to Beacon to find Flynt and talk to him about Velvet. Then what? Her mind tried to push through the fog of her mind as her fingers combed through her hair.

Wait. Her hair...? Weiss' eyes widened as she realized her albino bangs were hanging over her eyes. She quickly brushed them out of the way of her sight and her hands clawed at the bed, searching for any sign of the black thread. She let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding when her fingers found the wig, laying on the pillow that had held her head.

"Thank goodness," she sighed. She stroked the wig with careful fingers as she glanced down, staring at her garb with wide eyes. Her beautiful, sequin dress was gone, replaced by pajamas. The pajamas were bright; a vibrant pink with little, cyan spots decorating it. She blinked in confusion, before looking around the room.

There was a vanity table in the corner, and a dresser on the other side of the room. Posters decorated each of the four walls, each about some concert or motion picture being played. They were well maintained, with little signs of wear on the edges. Weiss lifted herself off the bed, placing the ebony wig atop her head as she continued to look around. Clothes laid haphazardly on the ground, with bits of jewelry hanging out of a box on the vanity table. There was a single window that illuminated the room, thanks to the shining rays of the morning sun.

Weiss walked with shaky legs as she moved to the only exit of the room. The closed door creaked, as if mocking her as she slowly approached it. As she walked, she stopped to glance at the nearby vanity table. There was a picture, framed with hazel-colored wood. The picture was colorless, but she could still pick up the details from it. There was a young Faunus girl and a human boy smiling at the camera, faces beaming.

The girl had short hair, braided into two small pigtails. She grinned at the camera, showing her little fangs as her tail flowed behind her. She wore a small dress, light-blue in color, with tiny frills around the hem of the skirt. A single bow hung from the back of her head, matching in color to her dress. The boy's clothes were only slightly more refined. He wore a dark coat, with a tie hidden under the layered jacket. He gave a toothy grin as he stood there in his navy shorts, a fedora sitting atop his head. The hat was uneven, hanging loosely on one side as he used a hand to lift up the rim.

Even without color, even with years of difference, it was obvious who the two were.

"Snowflake? You okay?" The door opened and Weiss turned her body around, eyes wide as Neon caught her snooping through, what Weiss assumed was, her room. "Oh! Good, you're awake! Come on down for dinner, you silly bird!" she laughed. Weiss stared at the wide open door that Nora left behind. With a small sigh, she followed after her, finding stairs leading downwards outside the door.

She walked down the stairs and found some familiar figures at a large, wooden table. There was Flynt Coal, seated on one side of the table with his arms crossed. He glanced at Weiss, but quickly turned his head away again. He wore clothes more casual and simpler than his vest and loose tie garb, though there was still an air of dignity around him. His shades were cast aside on the table, but his hat still sat upon his head.

The large room had a kitchen behind the table, where Ren and Nora quietly worked on breakfast. Well, Ren worked quietly. The ginger-haired Nora was excitedly talking his ear off as she kept to his side. When the two noticed Weiss, they politely waved at her. Neon was by their side, beaming at the blue-eyed girl.

But all of them fell second to the person that sat across the table from Flynt. The figure smiled at Weiss, waving at her with a joyful smile on her face. Her ears twitched above her head, relaxed, as her hazel eyes gleamed with relief. She looked so happy to see Weiss, and why wouldn't she? Flynt finally looked at Weiss and smiled, nodding his head.

It looked like Velvet had a job again.

**END**


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